TRANSPORT

Departmental Accounts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Ministers in his Department have issued written instructions to override his Department's accounting officer's objections since 1997.

Charlotte Atkins: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 80W, by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Disabled Access

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will increase the penalties against car drivers who park by dropped kerbs intended for use by people with disabilities.

Charlotte Atkins: We recognise that dropped kerbs are of great benefit to wheelchair users and ambulant disabled people.
	The specific prohibition on parking at a dropped kerb currently applies only in London, under section 14 of the London local authorities and Transport for London Act 2003. The penalty charge levels for contravening the prohibition in London are decided by the Mayor for London.
	However, section 86 of part 6 to the Traffic Management Act 2004, once commenced, will allow this prohibition to apply in areas of England and Wales where civil enforcement of parking contraventions is exercised by the local traffic authority and appropriate application for these specific provisions has been made to the relevant national authority. The Secretary of State will be responsible for setting the level of penalties in England. The penalty level will be set when section 86 comes into force, which is currently expected to be in 2006.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what targets he sets the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for responding to correspondence; whether the time taken is measured from the date when a letter is (a) received and (b) opened; and what steps he is taking to improve turn-around times.

David Jamieson: We have not set the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) a correspondence response target. However, the Agency has been asked continuously to maintain or improve the levels of customer satisfaction. To achieve this DVLA has an internal target of answering 95 per cent. of written correspondence within eight working days from the date of opening.

Entry Ports (Security)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many security staff are employed at each of the 35 main ports of entry to the United Kingdom.

David Jamieson: All ports handling international traffic must meet Government security standards. However, the number of staff that are employed by a port to carry out security is a decision for the ports themselves. We therefore do not hold this information centrally.

Hauliers

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2005, Official Report, column 1334W, on hauliers (working time restrictions), whether the new working time rules will apply to mobile workers employed by non-UK hauliers operating in the UK.

David Jamieson: The new Regulations will apply to mobile workers employed by any non-UK hauliers operating in Great Britain, provided those hauliers are established in a member state of the European Union. Separate regulations with similar effect will apply in Northern Ireland.
	Mobile workers from non-EU member states will be bound by the terms of the Directive, provided they are deemed to be employed by a EU employer under the terms of our Regulations.

Heathrow

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the level of air traffic movements at Heathrow is; and when such movements are expected to reach the cap set for Heathrow of 480,000 movements;
	(2)  what action is planned by the Government when the capped level of 480,000 air traffic movements has been reached at Heathrow airport.

Charlotte Atkins: The number of Heathrow Air Transport Movements (ATMs) in the year ending 28 February 2005 was 469,544. The condition limiting air transport movements to 480,000 a year applies from the date that the core Terminal 5 building opens, which is expected to be 2008. The number of ATMs is forecast to reach the 480,000 limit by the end of 2007. I am advised by BAA that an administrative process for managing the cap has been discussed and agreed in principle with the local planning authority to ensure that the limit is not exceeded.

Heathrow

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the final scheme for compensation for blight associated with any future development of Heathrow airport to be published.

Charlotte Atkins: BAA plc published a consultation paper on 21 September 2004 setting out its proposals for a non-statutory scheme to protect property values around the airport. At the request of local residents BAA extended the consultation by one month to January 2005. BAA is presently considering the responses to the consultation and has advised the local community that it expects to publish its final scheme by the late spring.

Heathrow

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further work is to be undertaken to assess the economic impact of a third runway at Heathrow airport.

Charlotte Atkins: The economic impact of a third runway at Heathrow was assessed in the work preceding the Air Transport White Paper and is set out in the White Paper and supporting documentation. No further assessment is planned, beyond any that may be necessary to reflect changed circumstances.

Heathrow

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements have been made to ensure the openness and transparency of the workings of Project Heathrow, with particular reference to the dissemination of information on this initiative to (a) residents of communities living near Heathrow and (b) their elected representatives.

Charlotte Atkins: We are keen to ensure that the Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow (Project Heathrow) is taken forward in an open and transparent manner, and to communicate information about the project to local communities and their representatives. The Heathrow Airport Consultative Committee, whose membership includes locally elected representatives, receives regular updates from DfT officials and BAA. Local authorities are represented on Project Heathrow's air quality technical panels. Information about the project has been on the Department's website www.dft.gov.uk/aviation/projectheathrow since last summer and we endeavour to keep this up to date as the project progresses. In addition, Ministers and officials have meetings from time to time with a variety of interested parties. I am currently seeking to arrange a further such meeting with relevant Members of Parliament.
	For their part, BAA Heathrow have been working to ensure that the local community is well informed about Project Heathrow. BAA's work has included updating the Heathrow Local Focus Forum on progress and meeting with local action groups to discuss issues connected with the project. BAA has also published the leaflet One Year On—How BAA airports are delivering the Future of Air Transport White Paper" which is available from the company's website www.baa.com.

Heathrow

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact the decision in the case of the judicial review of the Government's proposals for airport expansion has had on the proposals for a third runway at Heathrow.

Charlotte Atkins: None. The Court upheld the White Paper policy as regards Heathrow, although we are aware that this is the subject of a further appeal.

Heathrow

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what process would need to be pursued (a) to amend and (b) to delete the environmental mitigation measures on airport operations at Heathrow under the Cranford Agreement.

Charlotte Atkins: Any proposals to amend or abandon the existing noise amelioration operations at Heathrow under the Cranford Agreement would need to be subject to a full environmental appraisal, public consultation and ministerial approval. Any agreed changes would then need to be reflected in operational instructions in the NATS Manual for Air Traffic Services.

New Estates

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unadopted roads there are on estates built in the last 15 years; and how many unadopted residential streets there are in England.

Charlotte Atkins: Information is not held centrally on either question.

Private Car Parks

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is allowed to pass on details it holds on individuals to operators of privately-owned and operated car parks.

David Jamieson: holding answer 15 March 2005
	Regulations provide for the release of vehicle keeper details from the register maintained by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to applicants who can demonstrate 'reasonable cause' for their request. Legal advice is that the enforcement of parking restrictions on private property meets the 'reasonable cause' criterion. If information were not released in these circumstances, landlords would have great difficulty in enforcing their rights to their property. The Information Commissioner is aware that personal data are used in this way and he has issued advice that is available on his website.

Rail Stations

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers have used (a) Bramley, (b) Burley Park and (c) Headingley rail stations in each year since 1987.

Tony McNulty: Figures are only held from year 1990–91 and are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial year Bramley (W. Yorks) Burley Park Headingley 
		
		
			 1990–91 39,472 106,966 42,970 
			 1991–92 43,519 126,194 49,847 
			 1992–93 56,202 151,673 54,667 
			 1993–94 67,369 164,823 59,383 
			 1994–95 65,357 159,624 54,596 
			 1995–96 70,022 188,047 85,661 
			 1996–97 74,007 206,578 96,307 
			 1997–98 92,765 238,352 117,871 
			 1998–99 112,378 248,143 123,848 
			 1999–2000 116,725 274,135 120,013 
			 2000–01 83,490 215,245 101,472 
			 2001–02 67,505 178,604 95,709 
			 2002–03 86,291 216,208 109,687 
			 2003–04 111,500 250,310 126,021

Railways

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department will be assuming powers previously exercised by the Strategic Rail Authority in respect of (a) waiving penalty payments for train operators involved in industrial disputes, (b) providing compensation to train operating companies for loss of revenue arising from industrial disputes and (c) authorising pay and conditions agreements in the 12 months of a franchise.

Tony McNulty: Penalty payments, train operators' revenue and approval of pay deals for train operators' staff are all aspects of franchising. Under the Railways Bill, responsibility for passenger rail franchising would pass to the Secretary of State for Transport and Scottish Ministers as appropriate. Whether and how these specific powers will be used in the future is an issue we will want to consider in due course.

Registered Car Owners (Essex)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many registered car owners there have been in (a) Southend and (b) Essex in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: DVLA is unable to provide information on numbers of car owners as our system cannot cater for multiple vehicles registered to a single owner. In addition DVLA registers vehicle keepers (the person responsible for the use of the vehicles on the road) and not legal owners. However, the numbers of licensed vehicles registered to addresses in the Southend and Essex areas are as follows:
	
		
			   Essex 
			 Calendar year Southend Excluding Southend Including Southend 
		
		
			 1997 60,675 569,930 630,605 
			 1998 61,668 583,147 644,815 
			 1999 63,297 601,598 664,895 
			 2000 64,428 621,458 685,886 
			 2001 66,510 641,046 707,556 
			 2002 68,436 655,725 724,161 
			 2003(1) 69,988 663,803 733,791 
		
	
	(1) 2003 is the last full year for which information is currently available

Road Accidents/Deaths

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the number of road accidents in (a) Essex and (b) Southend in 2004.

David Jamieson: The Department for Transport will report accident and casualty figures for Essex and the unitary authority Southend on Sea in Road Casualties Great Britain: 2004", which is due for publication in September 2005.

Road Accidents/Deaths

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking in support of the policy of the European Union to halve the number of road deaths across the EU between 2002 and 2010.

David Jamieson: We continue to develop and implement our wide-ranging road safety strategy. The provisional 2004 third quarter casualty figures show we are now over halfway towards our 2010 target of a 40 per cent. reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured, and over three-quarters towards our 50 per cent. target for children.
	The first review of the road safety strategy identified that, while we are making good progress toward meeting our overall casualty reduction targets, the number of fatal casualties has levelled off. This is a complex issue, affecting other European countries which like us have a good record on road safety, and it is receiving in-depth analysis and special focus as we develop the strategy further.

Seafarers

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review the operation of race relations legislation in relation to seafarers.

David Jamieson: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 675W, given to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael).

Speed Cameras/Humps

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in descending order the 10 local authority areas in England which have the greatest number of fixed speed cameras.

David Jamieson: holding answer 15 March 2005
	Details are in the tables of the safety camera partnerships' sites and casualties which my Department published and placed in the Library in June 2004.

Speed Cameras/Humps

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many traffic calming schemes introduced in England since 1998 speed humps have been constructed and later withdrawn or modified, broken down by local authority.

David Jamieson: Local authorities have the power to introduce or modify traffic calming schemes without approval from the Department, so there are no central records which contain this information.

Speed Cameras/Humps

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of speed humps, with particular reference to (a) air pollution and (b) noise pollution; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Department has commissioned a number of research projects in recent years to assess the environmental impact of road humps.
	The research has indicated that emissions from individual vehicles may increase with the implementation of traffic calming measures, due to increased driver acceleration and deceleration. However, the reduction in the volume of traffic within traffic calming schemes usually means that the overall changes in air quality are roughly neutral.
	After the installation of road humps and speed cushions, research has shown that the maximum noise levels from light vehicles (cars) are reduced, as is the overall traffic noise level when light vehicles form most of the traffic stream. However, the effect on noise from large vehicles is more complex. While there are some decreases in maximum vehicle noise levels from large commercial vehicles due to reductions in their speeds, this can be offset by increases in noise from the bodywork of such vehicles as they pass over the humps and cushions. The net effect of these measures on the overall traffic noise depends on the proportion of large commercial vehicles in the traffic stream, and on the type of road hump installed.
	The environmental impact of road humps has to be considered against the need to improve road safety. Around 3,500 people are killed and a further 34,000 are seriously injured on our roads every year. Nearly 2,400 of these casualties are child pedestrians. Compliance with speed limits would reduce these unacceptable numbers, and experience shows that traffic calming measures such as road humps have significant safety benefits.

Stoke Hammond/Linslade Bypass

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons an appraisal summary table for a fully worked up lower cost alternative in relation to the Stoke Hammond and Linslade Western Bypass has not been provided since 1994.

Charlotte Atkins: The Stoke Hammond and Linslade Western Bypass was subject to the Department's appraisal requirements applicable at the time when relevant funding and approval decisions were taken. These requirements have changed over time. Alternative options and routes were considered, but not recommended, by the Public Inquiry into the Compulsory Purchase Orders held in 2003. Once a scheme has completed its statutory processes, the Department does not generally require an assessment of alternative options when the local authority submits a request for Full Approval and release of funding under the Local Transport Programme.

Television Equipment (Cars)

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the policy of the Government is in relation to the legality of (a) fitting and (b) using television equipment in cars which operate while a vehicle is stationary at traffic lights.

David Jamieson: It is legal to fit television equipment in a motor vehicle. However, if the screen of the television can be seen by the driver then it is only lawful to display information about the state of the vehicle, or about the location of the vehicle and the road which it is on, or information to assist the driver to see the road adjacent to the vehicle, or to assist the driver to reach his destination.
	It is unlawful for the driver to watch screens for entertainment purposes (e.g. TV programmes or DVDs) at any time while driving, including when stopped at traffic lights.

Transport (Hampshire)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Highways Agency expenditure was in Hampshire in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on (a) new road schemes and (b) road maintenance.

David Jamieson: holding answer 15 March 2005
	No major new road schemes have been carried out by the Highways Agency in Hampshire in the last five years.
	Delivery of the Highways Agency's road maintenance programme and smaller improvement schemes is carried out through a number of area-based managing agents. The area that includes Hampshire also includes other counties and it is not possible to identify how much has been spent in Hampshire alone.

TREASURY

Correspondence

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government Actuary's Department will respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Yeovil of 20 December 2004 in relation to public sector redundancy packages; what the reasons are for the delay; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: In response to the hon. Member's letter of 20 December 2004 the Government Actuary's Department provided advice to the Ministry of Defence in January, on the basis of which Ministry officials, given the unusual nature of the case, were given specific Treasury approval for a redundancy payment to the hon. Member's constituent. Treasury approval was initially given on 18 February but the payment was re-calculated to add interest at a standard rate in order to take full account of delay before payment was actioned on 7 March. Officials have already apologised to the constituent for the excessive time taken to settle this case but I believe that it has now reached a satisfactory conclusion.

First Childbirths

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average age of women at first childbirth was in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tim Loughton, dated 17 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning the average age of women at first childbirth in each of the last 10 years. (222059)
	Figures for England and Wales from 1993 to 2003 are published in Table 1.7 of the annual births reference volume (Birth statistics 2003 FM1 no 32). Table 1.7a contains means calculated from number of births. Table 1.7b contains means calculated from fertility rates, thus controlling for the age distribution of the female population, so providing a better measure of trend. Copies of the publication are available from the House of Commons library and is also available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5768&Pos=l&ColRank =l&Rank=256

Income Tax

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the estimated effect upon revenue would be if the 10 per cent. band of income tax were increased by (a) £1,000, (b) £2,000 and (c) £3,000;
	(2)  what the estimated effect upon revenue would be if the lower threshold for income tax were increased by (a) £1,000, (b) £2,000 and (c) £3,000; and how many taxpayers would no longer pay income tax in each case.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1405W.

Income Tax

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated yield arising from levying income tax at a rate of 50 per cent. on all taxable incomes in excess of £50,000 per annum would be; and how many taxpayers would be affected.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1405W and 1410W.

Migrant Labour

John Pugh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of migrant labour admitted to the UK was employed (a) by outsourcing companies, (b) by employment agencies, (c) by gangmasters, (d) in agriculture, (e) in catering and (f) in the care system in the last year for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Dr. John Pugh, dated 17 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about percentages of employed migrant labour in the UK. (221521)
	The attached table, using statistics from the ONS Labour Force Survey, gives estimates of numbers of people aged 16 and over who are resident and employed in the UK but whose nationality is other than UK. Estimates, for the three month period ending in November 2004 are given in total and for those employed by employment agencies, in agriculture, in catering and in the care system.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		Non-UK nationals resident and in employment in the UK
		
			 Three months ending November 2004 Numbers in employment Percentage(7) 
		
		
			 Total non-UK nationals 1,532,000 100 
			 Employment agencies(2) 44,000 2.9 
			 Agriculture(3) 9,000 0.6 
			 Catering(4) 17,000 1.1 
			 The care system(5) 37,000 2.2 
			 Of which those working for employment agencies(6) 3,000 0.2 
			 Other non-UK nationals 1,428,000 93.2 
		
	
	(2) Refers to those respondents whose reason for not having a permanent job was because of agency temping.
	(3) Refers to those involved in activities including, growing crops; market gardening; horticulture; farming of animals; growing crops combined with farming of animals (mixed farming); agricultural and animal husbandry service activities, except veterinary activities.
	(4) Includes only those working in canteen and catering services.
	(5) Refers to those respondents working as care assistants and home carers in the: health and social work, real estate renting and business activity, public administration and defence, other community social and personal and private households with employed persons.
	(6) Of those employed in the care system 3,000 working for employment agencies are included also within the total shown in the table for employment agencies.
	(7) A percentages of total non-UK nationals.
	Note:
	LFS estimates for small groups such as non-UK nationals are particularly subject to sampling variability because of the small size of the survey samples. They should therefore be treated with caution.
	Source:
	ONS-Labour Force Survey

Paddington Hospital

John Wilkinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has received the outline business case for the Paddington Basin Health Campus from the North West London strategic health authority.

Paul Boateng: No.

Perpetual Annuity/Pension Payments

George Mudie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) annuities and (b) pensions are still paid from public funds to the descendants of any individuals who through particular public service were granted exceptional perpetual annuity or pension payments.

Stephen Timms: No such payments are made by the Treasury.

Productivity

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what indicators his Department uses to assess the productivity performance of the United Kingdom.

John Healey: The Government uses two headline measures in its assessment of the UK's productivity performance: HM Treasury estimates of underlying productivity growth in the UK over the economic cycle; and ONS International Comparisons of Productivity estimates.
	These headline measures are supported by a set of intermediate indicators to highlight how the UK is performing relative to its major competitors on key dimensions of the drivers of productivity.
	Details can be found in the technical note accompanying the Treasury's PSA target on productivity; in Productivity in the UK 5: Benchmarking UK productivity performance: A consultation on productivity indicators 1 "; and Benchmarking UK productivity performance: The Government's response to the consultation on productivity indicators 2 ";.
	1 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/EFF/68/iulytechnicalnote 300704.pdf
	2 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consultations and legislation/productivity indicators/consult productivity indicators index.cfm

Tax Relief (Over-65s)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers he has to provide tax relief to the over-65s on savings and earnings for those earning between £18,900 and £23,070.

Stephen Timms: Those over 65 are entitled to more generous personal allowances than those aged below 65, while those over 75 have a greater entitlement still.
	In 2004 the personal allowances for all those aged 65 and over were increased in line with earnings by a provision in the Finance Act. The Chancellor announced his intention at last December's PBR of introducing a similar increase to the personal allowance for all those aged 65 and over in this year's Finance Bill.
	This overrides the automatic increase which is made in line with prices for all personal allowances. The higher allowances for those aged 65 and over are reduced where their income is above a certain level. This level, £18,900 for 2004–05, is also increased automatically in line with prices.
	In common with everyone else, those over 65 can withdraw funds from any ISAs they have tax free. Consequently, this does not affect their entitlement to age-related personal allowances.

Unemployment (Aberdeenshire)

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in Aberdeenshire unitary authority area in each year since 1999 broken down by age group.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Alex Salmond, dated 17 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment in Aberdeenshire Unitary Authority. (222062)
	Table 1 gives estimates of the levels of unemployed people resident in the Aberdeenshire Unitary Authority analysed by age group and covering twelve-month periods ending February each year from 1999 to 2004.
	These estimates from Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	The Office for National Statistics also compiles statistics of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance. Table 2 gives, for each age group, the average number of people resident in the Aberdeenshire Unitary Authority who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance benefits in each year from 1999 to 2004.
	
		Table 1: Unemployed people resident in the Aberdeenshire unitary authority area by age
		
			  Age 
			 12 months ending February All 16 and over 16–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55 and over 
		
		
			 1999 4,000 1,000 (8)— 1,000 1,000 (8)— 
			 2000 5,000 2,000 1,000 2,000 (8)— (8)— 
			 2001 4,000 2,000 1,000 (8)— 1,000 1,000 
			 2002 4,000 3,000 (8)— 1,000 (8)— (8)— 
			 2003 4,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 (8)— 
			 2004 5,000 2,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 
		
	
	(8) Estimates not given in order to protect respondent confidentiality.
	Note:
	These estimates are based on very small sample sizes and are subject to a high degree of sampling variability. Changes from year to year, especially, should be treated with caution.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 2: JSA claimants resident in the Aberdeenshire unitary authority area by age
		
			  Age 
			 Annual averages All 18 and over 18–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55 and over 
		
		
			 1999 2,565 625 635 505 555 245 
			 2000 2,565 635 640 490 540 260 
			 2001 1,845 465 445 370 390 175 
			 2002 1,725 465 390 330 365 175 
			 2003 1,865 495 410 360 390 210 
			 2004 1,890 525 410 355 380 220 
		
	
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus Administrative system

VAT (Electronic Publishing)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been raised through VAT on electronically published materials in each of the past 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: VAT revenue figures are published by HM Customs and Excise in the VAT factsheet, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House and from Customs' website: http://www.uktradeinfo.com
	HM Customs and Excise do not collect data on VAT from individual goods and services.

VAT (Electronic Publishing)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from (a) universities and (b) libraries with regard to the level of VAT levied on electronically published materials.

Dawn Primarolo: I am not aware that any Treasury Minister has received any representations from universities and libraries with regard to the level of VAT levied on electronically published materials in the last year.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Pet Fairs

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received regarding pet fairs; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I have received a considerable amount of correspondence both for and against the licensing of pet fairs under the proposed Animal Welfare Bill, and I am currently considering how best to take forward work on this issue.

Fallen Stock

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the collection of fallen stock.

Ben Bradshaw: The National Fallen Stock Scheme has been operating for just over three months and already has 25,000 members. While acknowledging there have been teething problems with collection of fallen stock in some parts of the country, the National Fallen Stock Company reports that it is pleased with the response and that the scheme is generally working well.

Fisheries

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to protect fish stocks in UK waters.

Ben Bradshaw: There are a range of policies in European Union and UK legislation to protect fish stocks. The Government will shortly be publishing a response to the Net Benefits" report which made a wide ranging series of recommendations to secure sustainable fisheries in the waters around the UK.

Commission for Africa

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the Commission for Africa's report for her Department's work.

Elliot Morley: Along with the rest of Government we are studying the Commission's conclusions carefully and will work up a full response across Government as soon as we can.

Common Agricultural Policy

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what quantity of fruit and vegetables was destroyed under EU arrangements in each of the last three years.

Alun Michael: Latest data from the European Commission indicate that total produce withdrawn from the market in the EU fell from over 1.1 million tonnes in 2000–01 to 596,000 tonnes in 2001–02, and to 315,000 tonnes in 2002–03.

Common Agricultural Policy

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for further reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Alun Michael: The key priority over the coming year is reform of the sugar regime. Looking further ahead, the review of dairy quotas in 2008 and the review of decoupling in 2009 may provide further opportunities for reform. We are also pushing for a radical outcome to the current WTO round to increase market access and eliminate export subsidies at the earliest opportunity.

Climate Change

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1639, to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Tony Lloyd) on climate change, what the results were of her discussions with newly developing countries, with particular reference to those with substantial and growing energy needs; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, together with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, jointly hosted a Round Table for the energy and environment Ministers from 20 countries, including the emerging economies, on 15–16 March.
	This was an innovative event which enabled us to explore common ground and begin to build a shared agenda to tackle issues of access to energy for development, energy security, and environmental protection.
	A summary of proceedings will be placed on the Defra and DTI websites shortly.

Departmental Accounts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether Ministers in her Department have issued written instructions to override her Department's accounting officer's objections since 1997.

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 80W by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Stephen Timms).

Fish Quotas

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of estimated biomass of the 10 most landed fish species under North Sea Total Allowable Catches were landed by vessels from each EU member state in the last period for which figures are available; and what proportion of each catch was made up of recognised market valuable species.

Ben Bradshaw: The most recent available information for the most landed North Sea species (on the basis of Total Allowable Catches for 2005) is shown in table 1 as follows:
	
		Table 1
		
			 Rank Species TAC 2005 in thousand tonnes Proportion of biomass taken in 2003 
		
		
			 1 Sand Eel 660 0.23 
			 2 Herring 535 0.21 
			 3 Sprat 257 (9)— 
			 4 Saithe (10)145 0.23 
			 5 Blue Whiting 122 0.42 
			 6 Haddock 66 (11)0.46 
			 7 Plaice 59 0.49 
			 8 Horse Mackerel 43 (9)— 
			 9 Whiting 28 (12)0.23 
			 10 Cod 27 (11)0.55 
		
	
	(9) No data
	(10) Including the Baltic
	(11) Estimates include discards
	(12) Estimate from 2002
	The proportion of the TAC taken by individual countries for these species is shown in table 2.
	
		Table 2
		
			  Sand Eel Herring Sprat Saithe Blue Whiting Haddock Plaice Horse Mackerel Whiting Cod 
		
		
			 UK 0.02 0.25 0.04 0.17 0.02 0.78 0.28 0.10 0.53 0.47 
			 Denmark 0.94 0.28 0.91 0.09 0.98 0.07 0.20 0.68 0.13 0.20 
			 Germany — 0.18 0.01 0.22 — 0.05 0.06 0.05 0.03 0.13 
			 Netherlands — 0.20 0.01 — — — 0.38 0.11 0.08 0.12 
			 France — 0.07 0.01 0.51 — 0.08 — — 0.20 0.04 
			 Belgium — — — — — 0.01 0.06 — — — 
			 Sweden — — — 0.01 — — — — — — 
			 Ireland — — — — — — — 0.04 — — 
			 Other 0.04 — — — — — — — — — 
		
	
	Information is not available on what proportion of each catch consists of commercially valuable species.

Flooding

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of households in England which are at risk from flooding; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The most recent estimate of households at risk of flooding is based on data from the Environment Agency's 2004 National Flood Risk Assessment which is also used in the FloodMap available from their website. This identified just under 1.9 million households within the Extreme Flood Outline in England (with more than 0.1 per cent. probability of flooding in any year).
	More than half of these households are in the low probability band (less than 0.5 per cent. probability of flooding in any year) and the majority of the remainder are in the moderate band (less than 1.3 per cent. probability in any year).

Over-30-month Scheme

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the over-30-month scheme will end.

Ben Bradshaw: We do not expect any changes to the over-30-month scheme until September 2005 at the earliest.

Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the opportunities available to public sector food buyers and farmers under the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: Examples of developments which offer greater opportunities for local producers to compete for public sector business include: (a) to supply more fruit and vegetables under the expanding 5-A-Day scheme; (b) an increased demand for fresh and seasonal produce and (c) greater emphasis on quality.

Tobacco

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will urge the withdrawal of EU subsidies to farmers in EU member states to grow tobacco.

Alun Michael: The decision has already been made. In April 2004 the Agriculture Council decided that direct support for tobacco production in the European Community should cease after 2009.

Waste Management

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the work of the Waste and Resources Action Programme in the East Sussex region.

Elliot Morley: Defra does not assess the work of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on a geographic basis but in relation to its progress towards achieving the targets set out in its business plan.

Waste Management

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the funding of the Waste and Resources Action Programme.

Elliot Morley: The Waste and Resources Action Programme is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and currently funded by Defra, DTI, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.
	The latest published set of accounts for WRAP (covering the financial year 2003–04) is available for inspection at Companies House.

Water Charges

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she proposes to introduce changes to the system of using rateable values as the basis for domestic water charges.

Elliot Morley: We have no present plans to require water companies to abandon rateable values as the basis of their unmeasured charges. Rateable values are outdated, and we are open to proposals for better systems, but any change would have to address the issue of winners and losers. We will update the existing analysis in the light of the Lyons inquiry and any consequential changes to council tax.

Water Savings Trust

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the outputs of the Water Savings Trust feasibility study; and what action she proposes to take following the Environment Agency's report to her Department on the outcome of this study.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency have been delayed in presenting the report on the feasibility of a Water Savings Trust to Defra. I now expect to receive the report from them in the first week of April.
	On receipt of the report, I will consider what contribution a Water Savings Trust could make towards securing a sustainable water supply.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Billboards

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the maximum fine is which local authorities can impose on landowners allowing temporary wheeled billboards to be placed next to motorways.

Keith Hill: Local planning authorities can prosecute the owner or occupier of the land on which the advertisement is displayed. The maximum fine on conviction of an offence is £2,500 and for a continuing offence £250 for each day the unlawful advertisement continues to be displayed.

Billboards

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average fine imposed by local authorities on landowners allowing temporary wheeled billboards to be placed next to motorways was in the last year for which figures are available.

Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Business Rate (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the business rate for Chorley is forecast to be in 2005–06; and what the rate is in 2004–05.

Nick Raynsford: The net business rate yield for Chorley for 2005–06 is forecast to be £18.187 million, compared with £16.840 million that was forecast for 2004–05.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the level of council tax receipts raised in England was in each year since 1997–98.

Nick Raynsford: The figures requested are tabled as follows. Figures for 2004–05 are not yet available on the same basis.
	
		Council tax receipts
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1997–98 9,570 
			 1998–99 10,579 
			 1999–2000 11,457 
			 2000–01 12,242 
			 2001–02 13,209 
			 2002–03 14,510 
			 2003–04 16,392 
		
	
	Note:
	The amounts shown are total receipts, irrespective of the year to which they relate. They exclude amounts funded from council tax benefit.
	Source:
	QRC4 returns

Council Tax

John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what exemptions from council tax apply for narrow boats away from their moorings; and when guidance was last issued on this matter to local authorities.

Nick Raynsford: A mooring occupied by a boat which is somebody's sole or main residence is deemed to be a dwelling" for council tax purposes and will therefore attract a council tax liability in the same way as other domestic types of property. Under Class R of The Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992 (as amended) a dwelling consisting of a mooring which is not occupied by a boat is exempt. This exemption came into force on 1 April 1994. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not issued any guidance on this matter.

Departmental Policies

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Witney constituency, the effects on Rochdale of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Along with other Government Departments, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to improving the lives of people across the whole of the UK. For example, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is determined that everyone should have the opportunity to have a decent home, and since 1997 we have reduced the number of non-decent homes nationally by 1 million.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides grant funding that benefits the Rochdale constituency through a number of programmes.
	For example, over the period 2001–06 Rochdale has been allocated £20.7 million of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund resources to help the local authority, in collaboration with the Local Strategic Partnership, improve services in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the area.
	More broadly, since 1997 we have been able to increase the total amount of Government grant given to local authorities by £22.6 billion. This is a 33 per cent. increase in real terms. Rochdale council has received an average annual increase in formula grant since 1997 of 5.3 per cent.
	The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk./.

Housing

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) private, (b) public sector key worker, (c) private sector key worker and (d) social housing homes are to be built on each of the redundant NHS sites now controlled by his Department.

Keith Hill: My right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Health announced in April 2004 that a portfolio of around 100 surplus NHS sites would be transferred to help deliver the objectives of the sustainable communities plan. It is expected that the first of these sites will transfer to English Partnerships shortly. Many of the sites will be suitable for the provision of affordable homes for sale and will include an element of social housing.
	The future use of each site and development proposals where appropriate will be determined in consultation with the relevant local planning authority as part of the normal planning process.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is continuing to develop a First Time Buyers Initiative as recently announced in our 'Five Year Plan—Sustainable Communities: Homes for All'. We plan to deliver 15,000 homes under the initiative by 2010, half of which will be for key public service workers and the other half for individuals and families recommended by Regional Housing Boards. Details about where these houses will be built have not yet been announced.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable housing units were built or procured through the Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme and Challenge Fund in London in each year since 1997–98, broken down by (a) mixed funded social rented housing, (b) temporary social rented housing, (c) homebuy general market purchase, (d) homebuy general new build, (e) mixed funded general low cost ownership for sale, (f) miscellaneous works to registered social landlord (RSL) stock, (g) reimprovement to rented RSL stock, (h) works-only rehabilitation of rented RSL stock, (i) works-only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale, (j) intermediate rented accommodation for key workers, (k) homebuy market purchase for key workers, (l) homebuy new build for key workers, (m) the London Challenge Teacher Market Purchase Homebuy, (n) mixed funded sale for key workers and (o) starter home initiative.

Keith Hill: The information requested on the number of dwellings built or procured in London through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme and Challenge Fund by the various categories listed in each year since 1997–98 is being collated. I will write to my hon. Friend and make a copy available in the Library of the House.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme and Challenge Fund funding has been spent on (a) mixed funded social rented housing, (b) temporary social rented housing, (c) homebuy general market purchase, (d) homebuy general new build, (e) mixed funded low cost home ownership for sale, (f) miscellaneous works to registered social landlord (RSL) stock, (g) reimprovement to rented RSL stock, (h) works-only rehabilitation of rented RSL stock, (i) works-only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale, (j) intermediate rented accommodation for key workers, (k) homebuy market purchase for key workers, (l) homebuy new build for key workers, (m) the London Challenge Teacher Market Purchase Homebuy, (n) mixed funded sale for key workers and (o) starter home initiative in London in each year since 1997–98.

Keith Hill: The information requested on funding in London through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme and Challenge Fund by the various categories listed in each year since 1997–98 is being collated. I will write to my hon. Friend and make a copy available in the Library of the House.

Housing

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when Mrs. Lea Rowles of Wylie Court, Sittingbourne will receive her refund from Swale Housing Association.

Keith Hill: This is a private matter between Mrs. Lea Rowles of Wylie Court, Sittingbourne and Swale Housing Association. I understand that Swale Housing Association are currently investigating this matter and will be in contact with Mrs. Rowles shortly.

Housing

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authority properties were sold under the right to buy in each London borough in each year since 1996–97; and what the average discount per dwelling was in each case.

Keith Hill: The annual number of right to buy sales of council dwellings reported by each London borough and the annual average right to buy discount per sale since 1996–97 have been made available in the Library of the House.

Local Authority Grants (Southend)

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will use Department of Health patient registration figures as a measure of population for the purpose of calculating local authority grants for Southend-on-Sea Borough Council.

Nick Raynsford: No. When calculating formula grant allocations, we use the best and most up-to-date data that are available on a consistent basis across all authorities. In the case of population, these are the 2003 mid-year estimates produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
	Data from GP lists are useful for estimating migration, but are not designed to measure population. They are subject to a number of potential flaws. For example, very few international emigrants de-register when leaving the country. GP lists are also prone to duplicate registrations and there can often be a delay in removing names following a death.

Local Government Finance (London)

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the real terms (a) percentage and (b) cash changes in total external support to (i) Westminster city council and (ii) the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea were in each year between 1992–93 and 2005–06.

Nick Raynsford: It is most appropriate to calculate year-on-year changes against the previous year's grant adjusted for changes in funding and function so as to give a like-for-like comparison. However adjusted grant data is available only from 1997–98 onwards. Please note therefore that the data for the period 1992–93 to 1997–98 is on an unadjusted basis while the data for the period 1998–99 onwards is on an adjusted basis.
	
		Unadjusted year-on-year changes
		
			  Westminster Kensington and Chelsea 
			  Change (£ million) Percentage change Change (£ million) Percentage change 
		
		
			 1992–93 41.976 16.1 31.557 21.4 
			 1993–94 -53.574 -17.7 -33.365 -18.6 
			 1994–95 -0.848 -0.3 0.129 0.1 
			 1995–96 1.214 0.5 -4.891 -3.4 
			 1996–97 -12.604 -5.1 -5.245 -3.7 
			 1997–98 -0.897 -0.4 -3.648 -2.7 
		
	
	
		Adjusted year-on-year changes
		
			  Westminster Kensington and Chelsea 
			  Change (£ million) Percentage change Change (£ million) Percentage change 
		
		
			 1998–99 -11.349 -4.9 -3.562 -2.7 
			 1999–2000 1.071 0.5 0.810 0.6 
			 2000–01 0.742 0.3 1.292 1.0 
			 2001–02 1.405 0.6 4.876 3.9 
			 2002–03 7.554 3.5 4.727 3.7 
			 2003–04 1.496 0.7 0.893 0.7 
			 2004–05 4.499 2.0 2.459 1.8 
			 2005–06 6.290 2.7 1.990 1.4

Local Government Pension Scheme

David Stewart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations and meetings he has had with Unison regarding the Local Government Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: holding answer 16 March 2005
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 23 February 2005, Official Report, columns 645–46W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle). Further meetings and discussion have taken place since, the last of which was on 10 March. These have been of a constructive nature, looking into the long-term issues relating to the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Regional Government

Adrian Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the budget of each Regional Assembly was in each of the last three years; what the administrative costs were in each year; and what the costs were of the other functions co-ordinated by the secretariat of each Assembly in each year.

Nick Raynsford: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Regional Assemblies are voluntary bodies that have been designated to undertake specific functions on behalf of Government. The total level of Government grant in support of these functions for the period 2002–05 is tabled as follows.
	
		£
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 North East 600,000 1,408,000 1,708,000 
			 North West 600,000 1,837,000 2,536,000 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 600,000 1,655,000 1,923,000 
			 West Midlands 600,000 1,671,000 2,071,000 
			 East Midlands 600,000 1,631,000 2,056,000 
			 East 600,000 1,874,000 2,112,000 
			 South East 600,000 2,186,000 3,280,000 
			 South West 600,000 1,613,000 2,101,000 
			 English Regions Network 200,000 200,000 200,000 
			  5,000,000 14,075,000 17,987,000 
		
	
	Regional Assemblies may also receive funding support from other organisations including local authorities. Details of 'administrative costs' and the cost of 'other functions co-ordinated by the Secretariat of each Assembly' are not kept centrally.

Regional Government

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost has been of financing the South East England Regional Assembly in each of the last five years.

Nick Raynsford: The total grant made by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to the South East England Regional Assembly in each of the years since 2001–02, when it was first introduced was:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2001–02 500,000 
			 2002–03 600,000 
			 2003–04 2,186,000 
			 2004–05 3,280,000 
		
	
	The increase in funding from 2003–04 was granted in recognition of the Assembly's role as Regional Planning Body for the South East of England within the new planning system. This role involved additional statutory responsibilities that were placed on them by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Social Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the statement of 3 March 2005, Official Report, column 358WH, if he will publish the evidence he has received from local authorities indicating that the separation of management and strategic function is delivering better services to tenants in social housing.

Keith Hill: The Government's response to the Select Committee report on Decent Homes set out that the separation of management and strategic functions delivers better services to tenants in social housing. This was based on the findings of the Audit Commission report 'Housing After Transfer: the Local Authority Role', which was published in December 2002.
	In addition, the Government's response drew on the quarterly reviews undertaken by the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) and HouseMark, which demonstrate the increasing levels of tenant satisfaction where homes are managed by an Arm's Length Management Organisation (ALMO).
	Copies of the Government's response, and the Audit Commission report, are available in the Library of the House. The findings of the NFA/HouseMark reviews are available to subscribers to the HouseMark website.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Accidents

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many accidents occurred at her departmental premises in each of the last five years involving (a) members of her Department's staff and (b) members of the public.

Richard Caborn: Accidents at work are reported by means of accident report books.
	
		
			  Number of reported accidents 
		
		
			 2000 3 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 2 
			 2003 1 
			 2004 3 
			 2005 (To date) 1 
		
	
	No member of the public has been seen to have an accident or has reported an accident. None of the accidents to the Department's staff have required more than a sticking plaster or have led to an absence from work.

Accidents

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she publishes data for the number of accidents at work involving employees of her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: In 2004 there were three reported accidents, and to date in 2005 there has been one, none of which have required medical attention or resulted in absence from work.

Accidents

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements for monitoring accidents at work involving members of staff of her Department are in place; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: In accordance with Health and Safety Executive guidance an Accident Report Book is provided in a central point on each floor. Completed pages are detached and forwarded to the Departmental Safety officer for collation and any action needed.

BBC

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department will be represented at the Factual TV Commissioning Conference being held as part of the BBC Charter Review in London on 18 March; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: DCMS will not be represented at the Factual TV Commissioning Conference being organised by Broadcast, which has no direct links to Charter review. However I am grateful for all the input we have received from members of the broadcasting industry to BBC Charter review.

Departmental Accounts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether Ministers in her Department have issued written instructions to override her Department's accounting officer's objections since 1997.

Richard Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 80W by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

Departmental Estate

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated (a) market value and (b) annual rental value is of each property owned by her Department; who the occupier is of each property; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: DCMS does not own any property that is able to earn rental income.

Departmental Policies (Tamworth)

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Tamworth constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to her Department's policies since 1997.

Richard Caborn: The Department's aim is to improve the quality of life for everyone through cultural and sporting activities, to support the pursuit of excellence and to champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries. The Department's policies and actions have had a significant impact on Tamworth since 2 May 1997.
	In 2002 we launched the first ever comprehensive national physical education, school sport and club links strategy with an investment of £459 million. To achieve our challenging targets for increased participation in sport and physical activity, we have invested in thousands of new and refurbished public sports facilities. Sports facilities in Tamworth have benefited from two Sport England Lottery grants totalling £582,152.
	We have increased our national funding to the arts in real terms by 60 per cent. from £199 million in 1998–99 to £367 million in 2004–05. Between 1998–99 and 2003–04 Arts Council England, west midlands grants increased from £5.6 million to £32.5 million. In 2005–06 the total Arts Council England investment in regularly funded organisations will be £35.4 million. Tamworth has benefited from grants to arts projects, organisations and individuals, including Black Country Touring and Arts Alive.
	Schools in Tamworth also benefit from the Staffordshire Youth Music Action Zone, known as Make Some Noise. Since its establishment in 2001 Make Some Noise has received three grants totalling £804,800 enabling it to reach 6,000 young people through local music projects and events.
	Culture Online was launched in 2002 to increase access to, and participation in, arts and culture. Many of its projects are aimed at children of school age and at audiences that might not otherwise participate in arts and culture, including those who do not easily have access to arts and culture, people from deprived communities and people with particular educational or physical needs. People in Tamworth will be among those who benefit from Culture Online. Between 2002 and 2004, £13 million was allocated to fund 20 Culture Online projects.
	Renaissance in the regions has funded the appointment of a museums development officer to support museums in the west midlands regional hub. It has provided £90,000 in 2004–05 for additional museums development support through the museums development fund and the hub's regional development fund to the Marches Curators group, of which Staffordshire is a part. This will be increased to £155,000 in 2005–06. Training courses in leadership and conservation have been organised through the hub and a member of Tamworth council's staff has been seconded to Birmingham city council as part of a skills sharing initiative.
	Through our commitment to public service broadcasting we have helped to foster an environment in which a creative, commercially successful broadcasting industry provides a wide range of UK-made, high quality original programmes catering for all viewers and listeners. We have ensured a secure funding base for the BBC and Channel 4, while giving them the freedom to develop commercial operations which complement and support their public service remit The Communications Act 2003 includes provisions to ensure that public service broadcasting will continue to have a key role to play in the digital future.
	In November 2000 we introduced free television licences for people aged 75 or over. Information on the number of beneficiaries by constituency is not available. However, according to Department for Work and Pensions records, the number of households in Tamworth with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in 2003–04 was 3,865.
	We have changed the licensing laws to allow people to hold and attend commercial dances on Sunday, to make it easier for restaurants to open an hour later, and to relax the alcohol licensing hours from 11 pm on new year's eve to 11 am on new year's day in all future years; and we have given the police greater powers to take action against under-age drinking and disorderly and noisy licensed premises. The Licensing Act 2003, when fully implemented, will introduce a streamlined, consistent and fair licensing regime for the provision of alcohol, public entertainment and late night refreshment. It will provide greater choice for consumers, bring regeneration and increased employment opportunities and protect local residents whose lives have been blighted by disturbance and anti-social behaviour.
	The Gambling Bill will, when implemented, transfer responsibility for licensing gambling premises to local authorities. Local people and businesses will be able to make representations about applications for licenses and local authorities will be able to decide not to issue licenses for casino premises. These changes will give local communities, including those in Tamworth, a greater say in the regulation of gambling in their area.
	Tourism in Tamworth has benefited from Government-funded marketing activity. In April 2003 we established VisitBritain with a new domestic marketing remit for England, and we gave strategic responsibility for tourism development to the regional development agencies, including Advantage West Midlands. These changes, together with VisitBritain's successful marketing activities in promoting Britain abroad as an attractive tourist destination, benefit all parts of the country, including Tamworth .
	In common with all those in the United Kingdom, the public library branches in Tamworth are connected to the internet through the People's Network which was funded through a £120 million Lottery grant and which has put all the United Kingdom's public libraries on-line. In addition, the Department is funding the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council with £5 million over three years to implement the Framework for the future action plan and library improvement programme, which is designed to encourage improvement across the public libraries sector in England.
	The Department has been an energetic advocate of the community value of public libraries. In 1998–1999 the DCMS/Wolfson public libraries challenge fund allocated funding to the community learning network partnership in Staffordshire. This award of £49,000 was granted in order to assist the provision of Open for learning" centres in libraries across Staffordshire to support self-study and distance learning. Tamworth Library was one such Centre and received a proportion of the funding.
	Information from the National Lottery distributors indicates that since 2 May 1997 Tamworth has benefited from 175 awards totalling just over £4.8 million. Of these, 23 awards worth over £800.000 were made by the new opportunities fund which was established by the Government in 1999. The new opportunities fund merged with the community fund in June 2004 to form the Big Lottery Fund.

Gambling Bill (Hospice Lotteries)

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to ensure that the provisions contained in the Gambling Bill do not adversely affect weekly lotteries operated by the hospice movement.

Richard Caborn: We have already brought forward amendments to the Bill, following representations by a number of hospice charities which now promote ticketless lotteries", to ensure that they will not have to change current practice. The Bill approved by the Commons on 25 January incorporates these amendments.

ITV Regional News

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions have taken place between her Department, Ofcom and ITV on maintaining regional news and current affairs programmes in the north-west.

Estelle Morris: My Department has been briefed by Ofcom and ITV on the implications for regional news and current affairs of Ofcom's review of Public Service Broadcasting.

ITV Regional News

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what penalties Ofcom can impose on ITV for failing to maintain Charter undertakings.

Estelle Morris: ITV is not established by a Royal Charter, but holds broadcasting licences for its channels, including certain of the regional Channel 3 licences which contain public service broadcasting obligations. Under the Communications Act 2003 there is a range of sanctions available to Ofcom for breaches of licence conditions which depend upon the nature of the breach, for example requirements to broadcast statements of findings, to impose more detailed regulation, fines or licence variation or termination.

ITV Regional News

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions have taken place between her Department and Ofcom regarding ITV's performance.

Estelle Morris: No specific discussion has taken place, but my Department and Ofcom meet regularly to discuss a variety of broadcasting and other matters.

ITV Regional News

Dave Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions have taken place between her Department and Ofcom on the (a) quantity and (b) quality of ITV news and current affairs programming in the North West.

Estelle Morris: These are matters principally for decision by Ofcom and ITV, who have briefed the Department on them in connection with Ofcom's review of public service broadcasting and as background to the debate on 2 March.

Licences (Sporting Events)

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements have been put in place for major sporting events to obtain a licence under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003.

Richard Caborn: No special arrangements have been put in place for those organising major sporting events where they wish to conduct licensable activities. They will be subject to the same provisions under the Licensing Act 2003 with regard to applying for permissions as other organisations or individuals. Of course, outdoor sporting events (with the exception of boxing and wrestling entertainment) are not in themselves licensable activities under the 2003 Act.

Museum Grants

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants have been paid by her Department to each National Museum in the last eight years; and what grants are planned for 2005–06.

Estelle Morris: The grant-in-aid provided by DCMS to each of its sponsored museums and galleries since 1997–98, including that planned for 2005–06, is set out in the table.
	
		The amount of grant-in-aid paid to each DCMS-sponsored museums/national museums in the last eight years, and the amount allocated to them for 2005–06
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 British Museum 31.86 33.92 34.72 34.94 36.07 
			 Geffrye Museum 1.12 1.05 1.17 1.18 1.17 
			 Horniman Museum 2.94 3.14 2.96 3.33 2.97 
			 Imperial War Museum 10.97 10.57 12.15 11.74 13.12 
			 Museum of London 4.31 4.21 4.36 4.48 4.95 
			 Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester 2.23 2.18 2.72 2.68 2.74 
			 National Gallery 18.34 18.69 19.48 19.21 19.95 
			 National Maritime Museum 10.48 10.18 10.92 11.66 12.59 
			 National Museums Liverpool 13.13 12.70 13.71 14.01 15.47 
			 National Museum of Science and Industry 21.08 20.28 23.76 24.08 26.68 
			 National Portrait Gallery 4.81 5.00 5.12 5.14 5.46 
			 Natural History Museum 27.66 26.96 29.58 30.41 32.38 
			 Royal Armouries 5.22 3.72 4.81 5.23 5.95 
			 Sir John Soane's Museum 0.59 0.57 0.63 0.59 0.70 
			 Tate Gallery 18.66 19.22 19.73 24.88 26.76 
			 Victoria and Albert Museum 29.90 29.15 30.03 30.45 32.34 
			 Wallace Collection 1.87 1.92 2.46 2.07 2.16 
		
	
	
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 British Museum 36.47 37.36 37.89 39.98 
			 Geffrye Museum 1.27 1.26 1.81 1.43 
			 Horniman Museum 3.38 3.28 3.66 3.68 
			 Imperial War Museum 16.35 16.54 17.49 18.54 
			 Museum of London 6.29 6.57 6.51 6.58 
			 Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester 3.41 3.30 3.51 3.74 
			 National Gallery 20.45 20.45 21.23 21.99 
			 National Maritime Museum 13.68 14.01 15.73 15.24 
			 National Museums Liverpool 16.57 17.33 17.33 18.16 
			 National Museum of Science and Industry 31.25 34.75 33.12 34.09 
			 National Portrait Gallery 5.73 5.71 6.11 6.39 
			 Natural History Museum 38.09 39.60 39.65 41.47 
			 Royal Armouries 6.16 6.29 6.89 7.28 
			 Sir John Soane's Museum 0.70 1.05 0.78 0.81 
			 Tate Gallery 27.78 30.28 29.88 32.30 
			 Victoria and Albert Museum 34.77 34.84 36.19 37.73 
			 Wallace Collection 2.61 3.01 2.594 2.58

Nightclubs

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what research her Department has commissioned regarding a possible link between the incidence of alcohol-related deaths and licensing hours of nightclubs.

Richard Caborn: The Government intend to monitor the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 but have not commissioned, and do not intend to commission at this time, any specific research relating to a possible link between the incidence of alcohol-related deaths and the licensing hours of nightclubs. However, the evaluation which we will be conducting into the impact of licensing reform on crime and disorder will seek to establish whether levels of violence and disorder occurring in and around licensed premises have changed as a result of flexible opening hours.

Science Museum

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Director of the Science Museum on the proposed closure of its library.

Estelle Morris: Following discussions with DCMS, the Trustees of the Science Museum have informed DCMS that they have decided for the time being, to continue the Science Museum Library's presence in the Imperial College building, South Kensington. This will enable the Trustees to give further consideration to the options, taking into account the feedback received from a wide range of interested parties.

Switchco

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent progress has been made towards the establishment of Switchco.

Estelle Morris: Good progress has been made on the establishment of Switchco. Stakeholders are now working on the structure and remit of the switchover implementation body, and expect it to be in place in the second quarter of this year.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Tsunami

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of steps taken by the Indian Government to ensure tsunami relief aid reaches the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The geographical position of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and related security considerations, meant that the initial Government of India (GoI) response to the relief and rehabilitation requirements of the area took longer than that for affected mainland areas. The GoI has allocated around £100 million pounds in financial assistance to the islands following the tsunami. Considerable support has also been committed in terms of military personnel and logistical support. The GoI has also allowed NGOs (including international NGOs) access to a number of the islands to undertake relief and rehabilitation work. UNICEF and the United Nations Development Programme have a presence in the islands, and DFID is providing £476,000 support to the Voluntary Health association of India (VHAI) to undertake relief work and livelihoods rehabilitation in Little Andaman.

Tsunami

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how much aid has been contributed by the UK Government to relief and reconstruction work in the Maldives since the tsunami disaster;
	(2)  what (a) financial support and (b) transport facilities the UK Government have provided to ship relief supplies to the Maldives following the tsunami disaster;
	(3)  what funds the UK Government have paid to UK-based aid organisations for relief and reconstruction work in the Maldives since the tsunami disaster.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID channelled £2 million through the regional appeal of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which are present and meeting needs in the Maldives, though it is not possible at this stage to say how much of our regional support went to a specific country. Likewise, DFID has committed $40 million to the United Nations Flash Appeal for the region. Part of our Flash Appeal commitment does include support specifically earmarked for the Maldives. £3,305,057 channelled through the World Health Organisation included assistance to the Maldives, as did £4,000,000 channelled through the United Nations Children's Fund. £500,000 channelled through the United Nations Development Programme was entirely for activities in the Maldives, to help restore livelihoods, including assistance to households involved in agriculture, tourism, fishing, light manufacturing and other sectors.
	In addition to support to United Nations programmes, DFID also financed a flight for International Health Partners carrying donated drugs from the pharmaceutical industry to the Maldives. This was at a cost of £5,221.
	Other in-kind assistance to the Maldives included a flight chartered by DFID at a cost of £81,000, to deliver water donated by Scottish Water. DFID also airlifted two landing craft and plant machinery, along with training support, at a total cost of £550,000. In addition, DFID seconded a water and sanitation engineer to the United Nations Children Fund for three months to support its work in the Maldives, at a cost of £28,000.

Microbicide Development Programme

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support he is giving to the Microbicide Development Programme; what support he expects to give to the Programme after 2006; what steps he is taking to encourage other countries to offer similar levels of support; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are a strong supporter of microbicide development. From October 2001 to 31 September 2006, DFID is providing a grant of £16 million to the Microbicide Development Programme (MDP) co-ordinated by the Medical Research Councils Clinical Trials Unit and Imperial College. A proposal for a Phase III trial (where Microbicides are tested on women) to be undertaken by MDP is currently being considered.
	Tackling HIV and AIDS will be a priority for the UK G8 and EU presidencies, particularly maintaining momentum on prevention through existing and new technologies.
	We are currently engaged with the EC on the development of its new revised Programme of Action to Confront HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria through External Action (PfA) 2007–11" which is its framework for tackling AIDS outside the EU. A key aspect of this will be to encourage the EU 's role in development of effective new technologies including Microbicides as part of comprehensive prevention strategies.

Small Grants Scheme

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many organisations benefit from his Department's Small Grants Scheme; and in which countries.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: holding answer 16 March 2005
	The countries in which the Small Grants Scheme has operated over the past five-years are detailed as follows. We do not hold the information centrally on which organisations have benefited from the Small Grants Scheme and this information could be obtained only by incurring a disproportionate cost.
	
		Expenditure on Small Grants Scheme
		
			 £000 
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Africa  
			 Africa: South of Sahara 5,541 3,931 3,457 3,219 3,357 
			 Angola — 4 — — 52 
			 Botswana 85 80 71 87 128 
			 Burkina Faso 18 — 11 — 30 
			 Burundi 56 31 19 59 83 
			 Cameroon 270 284 224 69 252 
			 Cape Verde 15 13 — — — 
			 Comoros Islands 21 — — — — 
			 Congo, Dem. Rep. 15 38 48 83 112 
			 Cote d'Ivoire 158 102 71 207 150 
			 Djibouti — — — 14 — 
			 Eritrea 270 152 34 126 40 
			 Ethiopia 273 264 152 260 229 
			 Gambia 108 121 436 52 47 
			 Ghana 152 34 17 9 21 
			 Guinea 27 — — — 10 
			 Kenya 135 91 266 146 173 
			 Lesotho 84 130 91 39 46 
			 Liberia 8 — — — — 
			 Madagascar 289 241 203 131 294 
			 Malawi 62 12 67 — — 
			 Mali 15 20 — — — 
			 Mauritania 1 — — — — 
			 Mauritius 44 133 59 16 89 
			 Mozambique 95 187 116 196 129 
			 Namibia 44 55 37 56 1 
			 Niger 4 15 20 — — 
			 Nigeria 693 130 7 15 6 
			 Rwanda 166 264 218 169 210 
			 Sao Tome and Principe 1 — — — — 
			 Senegal 197 207 177 36 23 
			 Seychelles 241 — 23 — — 
			 Sierra Leone 1 25 46 70 83 
			 Somalia 35 10 5 — — 
			 South Africa 558 677 462 423 252 
			 Sudan 107 83 88 221 263 
			 Swaziland 454 85 63 69 105 
			 Tanzania 251 73 8 225 106 
			 Uganda 259 65 111 181 119 
			 Zambia 126 139 139 135 118 
			 Zimbabwe 204 166 168 123 196 
			   
			 Africa: North of Sahara 385 237 20 63 62 
			 Egypt 59 52 20 63 62 
			 Morocco 155 148 — — — 
			 Tunisia 171 37 — — — 
			 Total Africa 5,927 4,168 3,477 3,281 3,419 
			   
			 Asia  
			 Asia: Far East 1,176 1,307 1,018 1,024 1,352 
			 Cambodia 120 120 90 97 95 
			 China 180 124 96 124 113 
			 East Timor — — 45 97 165 
			 Indonesia 86 131 164 199 224 
			 Laos 203 176 111 142 185 
			 Malaysia 2 — — — — 
			 Mongolia 255 230 214 97 192 
			 Philippines 130 340 149 122 263 
			 Thailand 44 43 53 24 45 
			 Vietnam 156 143 96 121 70 
			   
			 Asia: South 1,333 941 584 1,177 975 
			 Afghanistan 40 60 20 130 88 
			 Bangladesh 144 139 27 188 88 
			 Bhutan 11 — — — — 
			 Burma 16 — — — — 
			 India 206 84 211 219 212 
			 Maldives 248 217 66 180 179 
			 Nepal 212 145 79 153 202 
			 Pakistan 210 90 97 141 44 
			 Sri Lanka 248 206 84 165 163 
			   
			 Asia: Central Asian Republics 198 184 105 169 94 
			 Kazakhstan 77 33 24 28 21 
			 Kyrgyzstan 40 54 20 33 30 
			 Tajikistan 7 2 17 30 9 
			 Turkmenistan 26 41 15 43 36 
			 Uzbekistan 48 53 29 36 2 
			   
			 Asia: Middle East 694 455 566 735 382 
			 Jordan 212 165 201 179 83 
			 Lebanon 106 177 65 179 102 
			 Oman 13 — — — — 
			 Syria 75 80 — 89 51 
			 West Bank and Gaza 25 — — — — 
			 Yemen 263 33 301 289 145 
			 Total Asia 3,401 2,887 2,273 3,105 2,803 
			   
			 Europe  
			 Albania 21 45 54 91 63 
			 Armenia 69 30 23 21 37 
			 Azerbaijan 53 10 5 13 48 
			 Belarus 48 51 18 17 16 
			 Bosnia 210 66 228 70 232 
			 Bulgaria 152 131 63 176 157 
			 Croatia 206 82 1 16 17 
			 Czech Republic 235 165 103 126 28 
			 Estonia 75 33 40 77 — 
			 Georgia 34 3 20 5 50 
			 Hungary 126 122 63 94 74 
			 Latvia 86 73 33 60 — 
			 Lithuania 72 4 54 25 19 
			 Macedonia 50 88 61 76 105 
			 Moldova 25 39 2 3 49 
			 Poland 254 246 206 169 3 
			 Romania 248 175 93 232 130 
			 Russian Federation 229 152 134 98 50 
			 Serbia and Montenegro — — 441 348 427 
			 Slovak Republic 182 132 113 201 — 
			 Slovenia 26 77 75 119 35 
			 Ukraine 182 156 215 184 137 
			 Total Europe 2,587 1,881 2,045 2,223 1,677 
			   
			 Americas  
			 Americas: Caribbean 706 507 367 549 285 
			 Anguilla — 1 — — — 
			 Antigua and Barbuda 20 1 18 29 — 
			 Barbados 54 95 38 87 30 
			 Belize 96 56 60 75 72 
			 British Virgin Islands 27 — — — — 
			 Dominica 19 1 — — — 
			 Dominican Republic 108 48 31 49 — 
			 Grenada 19 25 23 — 3 
			 Guyana 52 67 19 115 79 
			 Jamaica 106 95 103 76 77 
			 Montserrat 130 76 70 83 14 
			 St. Lucia 20 5 2 8 7 
			 St. Vincent and Grenadines 24 23 2 25 4 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 30 1 — — — 
			 Turks and Caicos Islands 1 12 — — — 
			   
			 Americas: Central 1,217 1,285 767 770 461 
			 Costa Rica 111 182 114 53 117 
			 Cuba 170 85 49 220 87 
			 El Salvador 135 132 84 67 — 
			 Guatemala 171 141 86 132 116 
			 Haiti 16 18 21 — 17 
			 Honduras 267 251 204 155 76 
			 Mexico 91 248 7 — — 
			 Nicaragua 197 204 191 143 47 
			 Panama 59 24 24 — — 
			   
			 Americas: South 1,946 1,273 905 971 564 
			 Argentine Republic 99 — — — — 
			 Bolivia 281 250 216 165 146 
			 Brazil 276 237 151 176 195 
			 Colombia 249 226 174 166 19 
			 Ecuador 229 235 114 222 117 
			 Paraguay 133 100 59 56 — 
			 Peru 263 189 191 186 87 
			 Uruguay 247 — — — — 
			 Venezuela 168 35 — — — 
			 Total Americas 3,869 3,065 2,039 2,290 1,310 
			   
			 Pacific  
			 Pacific 333 347 226 414 350 
			 Total Pacific 333 347 226 414 350 
			   
			 Total Small Grants Scheme 16,116 12,348 10,060 11,313 9,558

Uganda

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Lord's Resistance Army operating in Sudan and Uganda on (a) the human rights of the Ugandan population and (b) the stability of Uganda's government; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has seriously undermined the human rights of the people of northern Uganda. Its abuses include murder, mutilation, abduction, sexual violence and torture. Many of the victims are women, children and the elderly.
	LRA activity has had minimal effect on the stability of Uganda's central Government but it has disrupted local government in the North and seriously hindered poverty reduction efforts and the delivery of basic services to the population.

HOME DEPARTMENT

2 Marsham Street

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the expected opening date of the new Home Office buildings in 2 Marsham street is.

Charles Clarke: A date for the official opening of 2 Marsham street has not yet been set. The Home Office took possession of the building on 26 January 2005. Staff began moving in on 7 February 2005. The occupation of the building will be phased over a period of three months.

Anti-terrorist Legislation

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his policy to allow information obtained under torture from British citizens held by another country in prosecutions carried out under anti-terrorist legislation.

Charles Clarke: The Government unreservedly condemns the use of torture and has made it an important part of its foreign policy to pursue its eradication worldwide.
	The Government are not aware of any proceedings in a United Kingdom court in which any statement which is established to have been made as a result of torture has been invoked as evidence, except against a person accused of torture.

Asylum Seekers

Barbara Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Department plans to undertake further research on the situation in the countries of origin of lesbian and gay people making asylum claims.

Des Browne: The country information material produced by the Home Office, for use by officials in the asylum determination process, is compiled from up to date information from a wide range of well recognised sources about the situation in the country of origin.
	These sources include intergovernmental bodies (such as UN agencies), governmental sources (including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development as well as other Governments) and human rights organisations (such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Crisis Group). Country reports, which are produced biannually on the top 20 asylum intake countries, include a section on the treatment of homosexuals and lesbians, which usually draws upon material produced by organisations focusing on gay issues such as the International Lesbian and Gay Association.
	In addition, case-specific research is undertaken as required where additional detailed information is needed to decide an individual asylum or human rights application.
	There are no plans at present to undertake further specific research regarding the treatment of gays and lesbians.

Asylum Seekers

Barbara Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is provided to officials dealing with asylum applications regarding the grounds for granting refugee status to applicants who have fled persecution because of their homosexuality.

Des Browne: Training is given to asylum caseworkers on making decisions based upon the criteria set out in the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Homosexuality is not specifically mentioned under the 1951 Convention, but in the training of asylum caseworkers it is advised that homosexuality in certain limited circumstances may constitute a significant factor in the recognition of a particular social group under the terms of the Convention
	Under the terms of the Convention a refugee is a person who can demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution in his country of origin for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

Asylum Seekers

Barbara Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances homosexual people from Jamaica applying for asylum in the UK would be returned to their country of origin.

Des Browne: Asylum and human rights claims by Jamaican homosexuals are, like those of all claimants, from all countries, considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). If the claimant meets the definition of a refugee in the 1951 Refugee Convention, they are granted asylum. If they do not qualify for asylum, but there are other circumstances that make them particularly vulnerable and engage our obligations under the ECHR, they are granted humanitarian protection or discretionary leave. If an application is refused, and any appeal is unsuccessful, then we expect the individual concerned to leave the UK voluntarily. If they do not, we consider that it is entirely reasonable for us to enforce the return of that individual.

Asylum Seekers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are applied in granting humanitarian protection to individuals refused asylum; and by what means applications for such grant may be made.

Des Browne: holding answer 16 March 2005
	Humanitarian Protection (HP) is granted to individuals who would, if removed, face in the country of return a serious risk to life or person arising from:
	the death penalty
	unlawful killing
	torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
	Asylum claimants are automatically considered for HP if they fail to qualify for refugee status. They will be granted leave under the HP policy if they meet the criteria set out above and are not excluded on the basis that there are serious reasons for considering that they:
	fall within Articles 1 F(a) or 1 F(c) of the Refugee Convention
	have committed a serious crime in the UK or overseas
	are a danger to national security.
	Individuals may also be excluded from HP where this is considered appropriate in light of their character, conduct or associations.
	There is further information on the HP policy and detailed guidance on its application in the Asylum Policy Instruction on Humanitarian Protection which is published on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate website.

Asylum Seekers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2005, Official Report, column 1959W, how (a) e-Borders and (b) identity cards will enable more precise monitoring of the whereabouts of failed Iranian asylum seekers in the future.

Des Browne: holding answer 16 March 2005
	The five-year Immigration Strategy that we announced on 7 February contained details of our plans through e-Borders to introduce an electronic system of counting in and out visitors to the UK. Automated electronic checks will record people's movements to provide a greatly enhanced passenger movement audit with significantly more reliable inbound and outbound data information than any of the border agencies have been able to obtain in the past.
	The Immigration Service is taking forward a number of projects under the umbrella of the e-Borders programme. Advance passenger information combined with new technology will allow passenger information to be collected on departure from the UK. The departure information will provide vital management and intelligence information, which may then be reconciled against information held on failed asylum seekers (FAS). A number of other Government agencies, such as the Department of Health, Department of Work and Pensions and the Inland Revenue have also expressed an interest in the potential benefits of a comprehensive passenger movement record.
	The benefits of introducing a system for reconciling a passenger's departure from the UK against his/her arrival works only with a fully integrated comprehensive system covering all passengers and routes (including air, sea and rail). Such a system is planned as part of the full e-Borders solution. It is not intended to issue identity cards to failed asylum seekers. However, by reducing the opportunity for failed asylum seekers to work illegally, ID cards will make it less practical to remain in the UK as a failed asylum seeker.

Burglary (Sentencing)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of burglars convicted for a third offence received a custodial sentence in the most recent year for which information is available; and what the average length of sentence for those sentenced to custody was.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 21 February 2005
	The table gives the numbers sentenced for their third burglary offence. The numbers are for a four week period in 2001, derived from the Offenders Index. The figures include attempted burglaries, as it is not possible to distinguish between an actual and attempted burglary on the Offenders Index.
	
		Burglars convicted for their third offence (by type of burglary)
		
			  Burglary in a dwelling(13) Burglary not in a dwelling(14) 
		
		
			 Number sentenced (for the third offence) 99 89 
			 Number sentenced to custody 75 42 
			 Proportion sentenced to custody (percentage) 76 47 
			 Average sentence length (months) 17.7 10.0 
		
	
	(13) Includes only previous convictions for burglary in a dwelling.
	Please note that definition and coverage is different from s111 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000.
	(14) Includes only previous convictions for burglary not in a dwelling

Civil Service

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil service staff have failed security vetting procedures in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: Separate figures are not kept to differentiate between civil servants and non-civil servants who have been refused security vetting by the Home Office.

Community Sentences

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) community service and (b) restorative justice sentences were imposed in (i) Redbridge, (ii) Waltham Forest, (iii) London and (iv) England in each of the last three years; what proportion of all sentences in each area each represented in each year; what plans he has to encourage increased use of each type of sentence; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Information on community sentences for the years 2000 to 2003 is contained in table A. Statistics for 2004 will be published in the latter part of this year.
	Restorative justice can form part of referral orders and reparation orders, which are disposals for juveniles. The Youth Justice Board has set a key performance indicator (KPI) for Youth Offending Teams (YOTS) which seeks to ensure that at least 75 per cent. of victims of youth crime referred to YOTS are offered the opportunity to participate in restorative processes by 2005. Table B gives performance against this KPI.
	The Government are keen to encourage the use of restorative justice throughout the adult criminal justice system. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 allows for restorative justice to be part of an offender's sentence, permitting sentencers to include it in activity requirements imposed as part of a Community Order. This will be piloted in due course. The Act also allows for the use of restorative justice in the new Conditional Caution. We are about to issue implementation guidance on restorative justice for Local Criminal Justice Boards and their constituent agencies.
	As part of the reform of the sentencing structure in the Criminal Justice Act 2003, current community sentences for adults, including the community punishment order, will be replaced by a single generic community order with a range of possible requirements. Courts will then be able to choose different elements to make up a bespoke community order. Technological advances, such as electronic monitoring provide innovative ways to monitor compliance, reduce offending and ensure community sentences are not a soft option. The new community order will be available from 4 April 2005 and will apply only to offences committed on or after that date.
	
		Table A: Persons sentenced to community sentences in Redbridge, Waltham Forest, London and England and as a proportion of all persons sentenced, 2000–03
		
			  Community rehabilitation order Supervision order Community punishment order 
			 Area and year Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 2001   
			 Redbridge 169 5 39 1 136 4 
			 Waltham Forest 170 4 38 1 141 3 
			 Total London 7,322 4 1,660 1 5,609 3 
			 Total England 55,182 4 10,103 1 46,374 4 
			
			 2002   
			 Redbridge 204 5 35 1 145 3 
			 Waltham Forest 207 4 49 1 164 3 
			 Total London 7,389 4 1,452 1 6,787 3 
			 Total England 59,805 5 9,695 1 47,285 4 
			
			 2003   
			 Redbridge 175 5 36 1 154 4 
			 Waltham Forest 188 5 45 1 172 4 
			 Total London 6,286 3 1,313 1 7,013 4 
			 Total England 58,882 4 9,174 1 46,926 3 
		
	
	
		
			  Attendance centre order Community punishment and rehabilitation order Curfew order 
			 Area and year Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 2001   
			 Redbridge 11 0 99 3 3 0 
			 Waltham Forest 25 1 69 2 9 0 
			 Total London 597 0 2,051 1 286 0 
			 Total England 5,656 0 13,610 1 3,688 0 
			
			 2002   
			 Redbridge 10 0 65 1 5 0 
			 Waltham Forest 14 0 56 1 9 0 
			 Total London 402 0 1,959 1 590 0 
			 Total England 3,834 0 14,463 1 5,933 0 
			
			 2003   
			 Redbridge 13 0 64 2 9 0 
			 Waltham Forest 10 0 59 1 4 0 
			 Total London 261 0 1,932 1 758 0 
			 Total England 3,102 0 14,169 1 9,097 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Reparation order Action plan order Drug treatment and testing order 
			 Area and year Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
		
		
			 2001   
			 Redbridge 17 1 34 1 21 1 
			 Waltham Forest 16 0 54 1 12 0 
			 Total London 697 0 1,331 1 712 0 
			 Total England 7,435 1 8,188 1 4,053 0 
			
			 2002   
			 Redbridge 13 0 20 0 17 0 
			 Waltham Forest 9 0 31 1 26 0 
			 Total London 412 0 789 0 791 0 
			 Total England 4,619 0 5,783 0 4,943 0 
			
			 2003   
			 Redbridge 2 0 9 0 20 1 
			 Waltham Forest 4 0 9 0 34 1 
			 Total London 229 0 482 0 1,008 1 
			 Total England 2,876 0 4,009 0 6,531 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Referral order(15) Total community sentences Total persons sentenced 
			 Area and year Number Percentage Number Percentage  
		
		
			 2001  
			 Redbridge _ _ 529 16 3,273 
			 Waltham Forest - - 534 13 4,204 
			 Total London - - 20,265 12 174,754 
			 Total England - - 154,289 12 1,252,396 
			   
			 2002  
			 Redbridge 81 2 595 13 4,432 
			 Waltham Forest 83 2 648 12 5,221 
			 Total London 3,016 2 23,587 12 200,855 
			 Total England 18,161 1 174,521 13 1,317,643 
			  120 3 602 16 3,866 
			 2003  
			 Redbridge 108 3 633 15 4,126 
			 Waltham Forest 3,617 2 22,899 12 197,069 
			 Total London 24,220 2 178,986 13 1,347,753 
			 Total England 108 3 633 15 4,126 
		
	
	(15) Referral orders were introduced nationally on 1 April 2002.
	
		Table B: Performance against the YJB Restorative Justice KPI
		
			 Percentage 
			  2002(16) 2003–04 April to December 2004(17) 
		
		
			 Redbridge 98.30 96.50 84.90 
			 Waltham Forest 18.70 47.70 90.60 
			 London 54.70 68.20 73.40 
			 England 54.80 65.50 79.90 
		
	
	(16) Due to limitations in information systems, KPI performance data before 2003–04 were collected in calendar years.
	(17) These are provisional and subject to change.

Community Sentences

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reconviction rates were for community-based sentences in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) type of sentence and (b) offence committed.

Charles Clarke: The probability that an offender will be reconvicted is strongly associated with a number of factors such as age and previous criminal history. It is not appropriate to compare reconviction rates over time as allowances need to be made for any change in the characteristics of offenders being given community-based sentences. For instance, if young offenders were proportionally more numerous in some years than they were in others, we would predict an increase in the actual rate as younger offenders are more likely to be reconvicted.
	Home Office Online Report 59/04 controlled for such changes in characteristics, and also excluded the impact of more rigorous enforcement of breaches by the Probation Service. It found that, when compared to the reconviction rate that is predicted given their characteristics, there was a reduction of 2 per cent. in the reconviction rate between 1997 and 2001 for adult offenders given community sentences, although this reduction was not statistically significant
	The tables give unadjusted reconviction rates for those receiving community based sentences in each year since 1997, broken down by type of sentence and offence committed. The figures given are for those aged 16 and over and show the percentage reconvicted within two years. Figures broken down by offence are not readily available for the years 1997 and 1998.
	
		Reconviction rates within 2 years of commencing a community sentence under supervision of the Probation Service, since 1997, by type of order given
		
			 Percentage reconvicted 
			  Community rehabilitation order Community punishment and rehabilitation order Community punishment order All community penalties 
		
		
			 1997 60 59 48 55 
			 1998 61 59 50 56 
			 1999 61 60 48 56 
			 2000 64 63 51 59 
			 2001 65 62 50 59 
		
	
	
		Reconviction rates within 2 years of commencing a community sentence under supervision of the Probation Service, since 1997, by original offence
		
			 Percentage reconvicted 
			  Violence against the person Sexual Offences Robbery Burglary Theft 
		
		
			 1997(18) — — — — — 
			 1998(18) — — — — — 
			 1999 46 21 58 71 69 
			 2000 48 30 63 74 73 
			 2001 49 25 69 74 73 
		
	
	
		
			  Fraud and forgery Drugs offences Motoring offences Criminal damage Other Indictable offences Other summary offences 
		
		
			 1997(18) — — — — — — 
			 1998(18) — — — — — — 
			 1999 43 56 42 61 55 72 
			 2000 48 59 45 62 56 61 
			 2001 48 61 45 66 58 60 
		
	
	(18) Figures not readily available
	Notes:
	1. Only reconvictions for standard list offences are counted as reconvictions.
	2. The original offence is the principal offence at conviction. This is the conviction that incurs the most severe sentence at each court appearance.

Counter-terrorism

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the update provided at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 19 November by the EU Counter Terrorist Co-ordinator on the EU's role in the fight against terrorism; and what documents were referred to during that update.

Charles Clarke: The Minister with responsibility for Europe (Caroline Flint) attended the lunch on 19 November at which the EU Counter Terrorist Co-ordinator Mr. Gijs De Vries gave a brief oral update on work under way. He underlined the importance implementing the agreed measures and legislation and in this context welcomed: the Revised EU Action Plan to Combat Terrorism; working to combat terrorist financing through the new EU strategy; an EU solidarity programme for management of the consequences of terrorist attacks; a strategy for integrating CT issues into EU external relations policy.
	All of these papers were subsequently agreed at the JHA Council on 2 December and then at the European Council on 17 December.

Counter-terrorism

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many delegates registered for his Department's conference on 18 January on protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear terrorist threats have indicated on the application questionnaire a background in each relevant discipline; what guidance has been given by the security services in the selection of delegates to the conference; and what the role of the conference is in respect of tenders for work on countering CBRN threats.

Charles Clarke: All applicants inquiring about the UK CBRN Science and Technology Bidders Conference were asked to give brief details of their main areas of expertise or interest. The responses given were varied and it was not possible to categorise applicants clearly by a particular discipline. The applications were checked by a small cross-government scientific panel that judged whether the areas of scientific or technological interest given on each application indicated an ability to contribute to Government requirements.
	In general when deciding which applicants should be invited, the panel showed a greater bias towards applicants indicating experience or an obvious interest in chemical and biological issues, given the nature of the conference agenda.
	It has been the established policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor to deny questions concerning the activities of the intelligence and security agencies.
	Delegates are being asked to submit outline technical proposals in the appropriate areas following the conference and the most promising of these will lead to invitations to work them up into formal, costed projects that we hope could begin during 2005–06.

Country Information and Policy Unit Reports

Barbara Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what mechanisms organisations outside the Government may challenge the accuracy of information in his Department's Country Information and Policy Unit reports.

Des Browne: Any organisations or individuals wishing to challenge or comment on the country information material produced by the Home Office may contact the independent Advisory Panel on Country Information. The Advisory Panel was established under the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 to provide expert external scrutiny of the Home Office's country information material and advice to help ensure that this is as accurate and balanced as possible.
	The Advisory Panel welcomes feedback from all sources. Information about the work of the Panel and contact details are provided on its website at www.apci.co.uk

Country Information and Policy Unit Reports

Barbara Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to ensure the quality and accuracy of information in the Country Information and Policy Unit's report on Algeria.

Des Browne: Standard instructions are given to the Country Information and Policy Unit (CIPU) staff about ensuring that the Reports are as accurate, balanced, impartial and up to date as possible. All Country Reports by CIPU go through a quality assurance procedure that includes internal scrutiny, and consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, before issue. In addition the independent Advisory Panel on Country Information provides rigorous external scrutiny of country information material produced by the Home Office and makes recommendations to help ensure that it is of the highest quality. The Advisory Panel rightly considered it essential that the Home Office's country information material should not only be objective in fact, but should also be perceived as being objective and have the confidence of all its users. That is why I announced on 8 September 2004 that in future, the production of country information material used by the Home Office will be undertaken by a country information unit dedicated solely to that function.
	The Home Office Country Report on Algeria was last updated in April 2004. No further update was issued in October 2004 because Algeria does not currently come within the criteria we use when determining for which countries we produce regular reports.

Home Detention Curfew

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been released on the home detention curfew scheme since January 1999; what the categories of offences were for which they had been sentenced; how many such prisoners were released in each category; and what the average sentence received was in relation to each category.

Charles Clarke: The information requested, as recorded on the Prison Service IT system for the period 28 January 1999 to 31 January 2005, is provided in the table.
	Investigations suggest that offence codes are recorded incorrectly for around 5 per cent. of all home detention curfew (HDC) discharges. This is due to the way the Prison Service IT system deals with a prisoner's record if he/she is returned to custody for committing further offences prior to the licence expiry date of the original sentence. The new offence code overrides the original offence code under which the prisoner was released on HDC.
	The table includes releases relating to sexual offenders. These were eligible to be considered for release under HDC until March 2001. Since then, prisoners subject to the registration requirements of part 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 (now replaced by part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) are statutorily excluded from the scheme and all other prisoners convicted of a sexual offence are presumed unsuitable for release on HDC. In addition, since 14 July 2003 prisoners convicted of certain serious offences, including offences involving the death of the victim, attempted murder, threats to kill and racially aggravated offences, are presumed unsuitable for release unless there are exceptional circumstances.
	
		HDC discharges by offence type(19)—28 January 1999 to 31 January 2005
		
			  Number Average sentence (months) 
		
		
			 Total 106,356 14.5 
			 Violence against the person 19,077 14.8 
			 Sexual offences 78 12.0 
			 Burglary 9,751 19.7 
			 Robbery 5,133 27.9 
			 Theft and handling 14,212 11.0 
			 Fraud and forgery 7,409 13.4 
			 Drugs offences 15,139 22.6 
			 Motoring offences 17,148 5.5 
			 Other(20) 18,409 12.8 
		
	
	1 Offence recorded on Prison Service IT system.
	Investigations suggest that around 5 per cent. of offence types recorded on this system do not relate to the offence prisoners were released on HDC for, but relate to offences committed after release from prison and before their licence expiry date.
	(19) Includes the offence of bigamy.

Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 35 main ports of entry to the United Kingdom, as defined by the Immigration Act 1971.

Charles Clarke: Statutory Instrument 1987/177 designated 35 ports of entry for the purposes of the Immigration Act 1971. These are as follows:
	Seaports and Hoverports
	Dover, Felixstowe, Folkestone, Harwich, Hull, London, Newhaven, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Ramsgate, Sheerness, Southampton and Tyne.
	Airports
	Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth (Hurn), Bristol, Cardiff (Wales), East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick London, Glasgow, Heathrow London, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Prestwick, Southampton, Southend, Stansted London and Teesside.

Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the 35 main ports of entry to the United Kingdom are staffed 24 hours a day.

Charles Clarke: Of the 35 ports of entry designated in Statutory Instrument (SI)1987/177 (which designated ports of entry for the purposes of the 1971 Act), 11 are currently staffed 24 hours a day.
	These are:
	Airports
	Birmingham, East Midlands, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester and Stansted.
	Seaports
	Harwich and Portsmouth.
	Other ports are staffed to provide coverage in line with passenger services requiring immigration control.

Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were found at each of the 35 main ports of entry to the United Kingdom in each year since 1997; and how many were found in total in each year.

Charles Clarke: Data are not available for 1997. Locally collated management information for 1998 to 2004 is provided in Table 1. These data may be subject to change and do not represent National Statistics. These figures relate predominately to clandestine entrants but may also include other categories of illegal entry.
	
		Table 1: Illegal immigrants found at UK ports, 1997 to 2004(20)
		
			 Location 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Aberdeen n/a 0 0 0 1 0 40 4 
			 Belfast n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 
			 Birmingham n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bournemouth (Hurn) n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bristol n/a 0 0 0 1 0 8 12 
			 Cardiff n/a 0 0 0 1 0 2 13 
			 Dover n/a 3,212 8,888 12,677 9,220 8,030 1,651 804 
			 East Midlands n/a 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 Edinburgh n/a 0 0 0 0 0 10 1 
			 Felixstowe n/a 261 459 367 107 39 5 20 
			 Folkestone n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Gatwick n/a  0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Glasgow n/a 0 8 0 0 0 10 0 
			 Harwich n/a 250 286 108 90 8 10 6 
			 Heathrow n/a 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 
			 Hull n/a 83 67 0 60 0 19 39 
			 Leeds/ Bradford n/a 23 6 88 0 0 1 1 
			 Liverpool n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 London n/a 0 0 0 28 9 0 0 
			 Luton n/a 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Manchester n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Newcastle n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Newhaven n/a 40 4 2 0 21 10 21 
			 Norwich n/a 5 3 0 0 0 6 1 
			 Plymouth n/a 7 6 0 0 3 4 6 
			 Portsmouth n/a 255 177 60 106 41 160 192 
			 Prestwick n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Ramsgate n/a 102 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Sheerness n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Southampton n/a 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 
			 Southend n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stansted n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Teesside n/a 0 0 125 115 5 1 1 
			 Tyne ports n/a 22 35 46 11 9 4 7 
			 Total(21) n/a 4,262 9,939 13,473 9,740 8,171 1,946 1,143 
		
	
	(20) The data provided are based on locally collated management information, which may be subject to change.
	(21) The total is only for the ports listed.
	Table 2 shows published data on the total number of persons against whom illegal entry action was initiated since 1997. Illegal entry action is initiated against those people who are detected having entered or attempted to enter the country clandestinely or by means of deception, either verbal or documentary. These figures include those illegal entrants detected both at ports of entry and inland.
	
		Table 2: Persons against whom illegal entry action was initiated, 1997 to 2004(22)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 14,390 
			 1998 16,500 
			 1999 21,165 
			 2000 47,325 
			 2001 69,875 
			 2002 48,050 
			 2003(23) 22,950 
			 2004(24) Not available 
		
	
	(22) Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
	(23) Data were not of sufficient quality for publication in 2003, however it is estimated that 22,950 persons had illegal entry action initiated against them in this year. Due to poor data quality this is not an official statistic.
	(24) Data for 2004 are not yet available. These will be published in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin Control of Immigration Statistics: United Kingdom, 2004" in summer 2005.
	Official statistics on immigration matters are available from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Immigration

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were picked up each year by patrol boats in UK waters in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: Although the UK Immigration Service mounts joint operations with other agencies on an intelligence led basis they do not routinely patrol UK waters.
	The local port deals with any illegal immigrants detected in UK waters but statistics on these detections are not collated separately.

IND Training

Barbara Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is provided to senior caseworkers in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to help them provide support and advice to junior officials.

Des Browne: Senior caseworkers will normally have had significant experience as asylum caseworkers and will have received the same training as caseworkers earlier in their careers.
	In addition, all senior caseworkers have direct access to policy experts in the Asylum Policy Unit, country information specialists in the Country Information Policy Unit and, in appropriate cases, to legal advice from the Home Office Legal Advisers Branch.
	Senior Caseworkers also have the opportunity to meet regularly with a wide range of external stakeholders to further augment their understanding of asylum policy and process.

IND Training

Barbara Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the nature is of the training in the assessment of asylum claims which is provided to asylum caseworkers.

Des Browne: Asylum caseworkers are trained to make asylum decisions without discrimination and on their individual merits in accordance with the criteria set out in the 1951 UN convention relating to the status of refugees.
	Training focuses on the skills, knowledge and ability required to make effective decisions based on the law. Caseworkers are instructed on how to identify an asylum claim and to then apply the salient facts to the legislation.

Infectious Diseases (UK Entrants)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been deported for carrying tuberculosis in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: Figures for the number of people removed or deported from the United Kingdom are published regularly and are available from the Home Office website www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
	However, it is not possible to identify from the data how many are refused entry or deported because of health reasons.

John Lennon Airport

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many individuals entering the country with questionable identification have been detained at John Lennon airport but have subsequently absconded from the airport in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what the minimum number of Custom and Immigration officers on duty at John Lennon airport was in the last period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what representations have been made to his Department on detention arrangements for passengers believed to be trying to enter the country illegally at John Lennon airport;
	(4)  what discussions have taken place with (a) Peel Holdings and (b) operators of no frills airlines with regard to improving security at John Lennon airport.

Des Browne: The Immigration Service provides a 24-hour service at John Lennon airport. Two immigration officers are scheduled for duty throughout the period, except from 07.30 to 10.00 hours when there is one. This shift coverage takes into account the schedule of incoming flights.
	There are no customs officers permanently based at Liverpool John Lennon airport. Customs attendance is determined on the basis of risk. Customs officers deploy to the airport in accordance with flight or passenger profiles or more specific intelligence. Mobile staff are deployed from the local area, or from the regional or national strike forces on a flexible basis in order to be able to respond to any identified risk. They attend selected arrivals for class 'A' drugs, revenue goods and other prohibited or restricted items, and selected departures for work in connection with the Proceeds of Crime Act. Therefore, there will be no customs staff on duty for some arrivals/departures, but a much larger number of mobile staff for others, where a risk has been identified.
	The Immigration Service is working to identify and implement cost-effective improvements to ensure appropriate access to detention and escort facilities when required.
	Peel Holdings, as the airport operator, has overall responsibility for the security of John Lennon airport. A representative from the Immigration Service attends regular meetings with Peel Holdings, the police, HM Customs and Excise and other control authority partners, to discuss new airline routes and airport development. The Immigration Service also attend a monthly multi-agency threat and risk assessment meeting with other security stakeholders to make accurate assessments of any threats to John Lennon airport.
	Between April 2004 and January 2005 there have been three occasions where passengers whose identity was in doubt have absconded from the immigration control at John Lennon airport. To reduce the risk of this happening again, the Immigration Service are in negotiations to improve security at the immigration control there. Records of such absconders prior to April 2004 are not available.

Parliamentary Questions

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the parliamentary question reference 205820 tabled by the hon. Member for North Cornwall on 20 December 2004.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 10 February 2005
	I replied to the hon. Member on 20 January 2005, Official Report, column 368W.

Parliamentary Questions

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the question from the hon. Member for Portsmouth South, reference 200027.

Caroline Flint: I replied to the hon. Member on 16 March 2005, Official Report, column 65W.

Police (Convictions)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serving police officers were convicted of an offence in (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Essex in each year since 1997, broken down by type of offence; and what the average sentence was in each case.

Hazel Blears: It is not possible to identify the occupation of defendants on the Home Office Court Proceedings database, as the individual circumstances of the offence are not collected.

Police Funding

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the funding per head of population for each police authority in England and Wales is in 2004–05.

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 28 February 2005, Official Report, column 1008W.

Police Surveillance

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the time taken to receive authorisation to enable police officers to undertake (a) covert and (b) directed surveillance of (i) named and (ii) as yet unidentified criminal associates of individuals under Part II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Charles Clarke: The time taken by a police officer to make a written application for authorisation for covert directed surveillance and by an authorising officer to consider that application and, if appropriate to do so, grant the authorisation will depend on the circumstances of the specific investigation or operation. No estimate or assessment has been made by the Home Office of the average time involved.

Police Surveillance

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his policy to require a police officer to obtain a new authorisation to undertake (a) covert and (b) directed surveillance of (i) named and (ii) as yet unidentified criminal associates of individuals if they were not originally named in authorisation of surveillance, under Part II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Charles Clarke: Guidance on authorisation procedures is contained in the statutory code of practice on the use of covert surveillance, adopted by Parliament pursuant to section 71 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Paragraph 2.8 provides guidance on circumstances when an investigation or operation unexpectedly interferes with the privacy of individuals not covered by the authorisation. The Code states
	When the original authorisation may not be sufficient, consideration should be given to whether the authorisation needs to be amended and reauthorised or a new authorisation is required."
	When the identities of previously unknown subjects or their associates become known they should be identified in a renewal authorisation, so long as it is consistent with the original authorisation. If the scope of the investigation or operation is to be broadened a new authorisation will be required.

Police Surveillance

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what process of authorisation he requires a police officer to complete to undertake (a) covert and (b) directed surveillance of (i) named and (ii) as yet unidentified criminal associates, of individuals, under Part II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Charles Clarke: Guidance on the use of covert direct surveillance by public authorities, and the authorisation procedures involved, is contained in the code of practice on covert surveillance adopted by Parliament pursuant to section 71 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. The code of practice is available from TSO (The Stationery Office) (ISBN 0113412843) or on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crimpol/crimreduc/regulation/codeofpractice/surveillance/index.html

Prison Programmes

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budgets for (a) offending behaviour programmes, (b) drug treatment and (c) basic skills education in prisons were in 2003–04; and what the budgets are for (i) 2004–05, (ii) 2005–06 and (iii) 2006–07.

Charles Clarke: We are unable to give a full answer as not all of the budgets for 2005–06, and 2006–07, have yet been fully delegated.
	The Offending Behaviour Programmes include Sex Offender Programmes. We expect the final expenditure for 2003–04 to be in the region of £25 million, including private prisons. The budget for 2004–05 is £20.5 million.
	Expenditure on Drug Treatment in 2003–04 was £38.250 million. The budget for 2004–05 is £51.436 million. The budget for 2005–06 is £61.216 million. These figures are for public prisons only. We do not have the figures for private prisons.
	The expected final expenditure for Basic Skills Education in Prisons is £70 million in 2003–04 (or £82 million including Work Skills). The budget for 2004–05 is £85.3 million including Work Skills. These figures are for public prisons only. We do not have the figures for private prisons.

Queenborough Fisheries Trust

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when the Charity Commission last examined the membership of the Queenborough Fisheries Trust;
	(2)  when the Charity Commission last examined the criteria for appointments to the board of trustees of the Queenborough Fisheries Trust.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Charity Commission has not had grounds for examining the membership or the criteria for trustee appointments of the Queenborough Fishery Trust. The Commission does not, and cannot routinely, involve itself in the internal administration of a charity unless a significant regulatory issue arises; internal administration is the responsibility of the charity trustees. The hon. Member is invited to contact the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission if he has any specific concerns regarding this charity or for further information.

Race Relations (Sikhs)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with Sikh representatives to discuss the problems of racist attacks; when he next intends to meet Sikh representatives; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: Although I have had no meetings with the Sikh community to discuss the issue of racist attacks specifically, it has been raised in various discussions I have had with the community.
	Although I have no plans to meet Sikh representatives at present, a meeting is being arranged between the Faith Communities Unit and the British Sikh Consultative Forum. I have further indicated my willingness to meet delegates representing the wide range of interests and opinions of the Sikh community.
	The Government acknowledges and values the important contribution which the Sikh community makes to the economic and cultural life of this country. The Government race equality and community cohesion strategy, which will shortly be published, includes specific proposals to improve reporting and handling of racially motivated crime.

Race Relations (Sikhs)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the separate monitoring of Sikhs under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 20 December 2004
	Since May 2002 the Government have received representations regarding the separate monitoring of Sikhs from the Oxbridge Sikh Alumni Association, the British Sikh Federation, and from various Sikh Gurdwaras.
	The Government acknowledges that Sikhs have the same status as all other ethnic and racial groups within the Statutory Code of Practice on the Duty to promote Race Equality published under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act.
	The Statutory Code of Practice encourages authorities to use the same ethnic classification system as used in the 2001 census or categories that match them very closely. However, the statutory code also recognises that authorities may choose to collect more detailed information to reflect local circumstances. Public authorities with significant Sikh populations in their area may opt to do so.

Race Relations (Sikhs)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has taken to counter racism against Sikh and Muslim communities.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 20 December 2004
	We are committed to tackling racist behaviour wherever it occurs and in whatever form. The Government introduced in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 nine new racially aggravated offences which carry higher maximum penalties where there is evidence of a racist motive or racial hostility in connection with the offence. The offences include assaults, verbal abuse and harassment and criminal damage. For these purposes Sikhs and Jews have been deemed by the courts to be racial groups.
	The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 expanded these provisions to cover religiously—as well as racially—aggravated offences, thereby affording the same protection against attacks to religious groups such as Muslims and Christians.
	Under the same Act the maximum penalty for incitement to racial hatred, an offence under Part III of the Public Order Act 1986, was increased from two to seven years' imprisonment. This offence makes it unlawful to use threatening, abusive or insulting language with the intention or likelihood that racial hatred would be stirred up.
	The Home Secretary has announced that as part of its Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, the Government are proposing extending this offence to afford the same protection against incitement to hatred to faith communities including Muslims.
	The Association of Chief Police Officers is updating its guidance to forces on dealing with hate crime and the Crown Prosecution Service has made clear in its published policy its determination to deal robustly with racial and religious hate crime.

Regional Offender Managers

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated annual cost is for the operation of each of the regional offender managers' offices; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The final location and composition of the regional offender managers' offices has yet to be finalised and the budgets for the offices are yet to be set. However, an indicative budget for 2005–06 for regional offender managers offices has been set at £1.7 million resource.

Research Documents

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many documents have been published by the Research, Development and Statistics section of his Department on each day of the last six months, broken down by subject area.

Charles Clarke: The information requested on publications published by the Home Office over the last six months is shown in the table. Please note we have classified the research according to the business area leads although some publications will be on more cross-cutting topics that cover more than one business area.
	
		Publications released by Home Office Research and Statistics—September 2004 to March 2005
		
			 Publication date Title Series RDS Business area 
		
		
			 13 September 2004 Drugs seizure and offender statistics SB Drugs 
			 17 September 2004 Piloting 'on the spot penalties' for disorder: final results from a one-year pilot Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 21 September 2004 Prisoner-on-prisoner homicide in England and Wales OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 21 September 2004 Prisoner-on-prisoner homicide in England and Wales Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 23 September 2004 Meeting parents' needs for information: evidence from the 2001 Home Office Citizenship Survey OLR Communities 
			 29 September 2004 Community Support Officer (Detention Power) Pilot: evaluation results Other Crime and Policing 
			 29 September 2004 Police service strength—England and Wales 31 March 2004 SB Crime and Policing 
			 5 October 2004 Employer-supported volunteering and giving: findings from the 2001 Home Office Citizenship Survey HORS Communities 
			 6 October 2004 Black and Asian offenders pathfinder: implementation report DPR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 7 October 2004 Understanding voluntary return OLR Immigration and Asylum 
			 13 October 2004 What works in community involvement in area-based initiatives? A systematic review of the literature OLR Communities 
			 13 October 2004 Facilitating community involvement: practical guidance for practitioners and policy makers DPR Communities 
			 20 October 2004 Tackling domestic violence: exploring the health service contribution OLR Crime and Policing 
			 20 October 2004 Tackling domestic violence: the role of health professionals DPR Crime and Policing 
			 21 October 2004 Crime stats—quarterly bulletin SB Crime and Policing 
			 21 October 2004 Short report on distraction burglary Online supplement to SB 1404 Crime and Policing 
			 28 October 2004 Perceptions and experience of antisocial behaviour: findings from the 2003/2004 British Crime Survey OLR Crime and Policing 
			 28 October 2004 Perceptions and experience of antisocial behaviour Findings Crime and Policing 
			 28 October 2004 Indicators of integration DPR Immigration and Asylum 
			 28 October 2004 The experience of integration: a qualitative study of refugee integration in the local communities of Pollokshaws and Islington OLR Immigration and Asylum 
			 1 November 2004 Intelligence led vehicle crime reduction: an evaluation of Operation Gallant OLR Crime and Policing 
			 1 November 2004 Approaches to intelligence-led vehicle crime reduction DPR Crime and Policing 
			 1 November 2004 Emerging methods of car theft—theft of keys Findings Crime and Policing 
			 1 November 2004 Decision-making by house burglars: offenders' perspectives Findings Crime and Policing 
			 4 November 2004 Reassurance policing: an evaluation of the local management of community safety HORS Crime and Policing 
			 4 November 2004 Reassuring the public; a review of international policing interventions HORS Crime and Policing 
			 4 November 2004 Reassuring the public; a review of international policing interventions Findings Crime and Policing 
			 15 November 2004 An evaluation of the impact of restorative cautioning: findings from a reconviction study Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 15 November 2004 Two-year resanctioning study: a comparison of restorative and traditional cautions OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 16 November 2004 Sizing the illegally resident population in the UK OLR Immigration and Asylum 
			 16 November 2004 Asylum statistics 3rd quarter 2004 Online Immigration and Asylum 
			 17 November 2004 Central Government funding of voluntary and community organisations, 1982/83 to 2001/02 Misc Communities 
			 17 November 2004 State of the Sector Panel—Conference newsletter Other Communities 
			 26 November 2004 Tackling Crimes Against Small Businesses—Lessons from the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Initiative' DPR Crime and Policing 
			 26 November 2004 Crime against retail and manufacturing premises: findings from the 2002 Commercial Victimisation Survey Findings Crime and Policing 
			 30 November 2004 Problem-solving street crime: practical lessons from the Street Crime Initiative Other Crime and Policing 
			 30 November 2004 Police complaints and discipline 2004 England and Wales SB Crime and Policing 
			 1 December 2004 University student safety in the East Midlands OLR Crime and Policing 
			 2 December 2004 Statistics on mentally disordered offenders 2003 SB Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 2 December 2004 The impact of corrections on re-offending: a review of 'what works' HORS Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 2 December 2004 Adult reconviction: results from the 2001 cohort OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 2 December 2004 Juvenile reconviction: results from the 2001 and 2002 cohorts OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 3 December 2004 The police recording of computer crime DPR Crime and Policing 
			 6 December 2004 Drink driving: prevalence and attitudes in England and Wales 2002 Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 6 December 2004 Tackling domestic violence: providing support for children who have witnessed domestic violence DPR Crime and Policing 
			 8 December 2004 The future of netcrime now: Part 1 : threats and challenges OLR Crime and Policing 
			 8 December 2004 The future of netcrime now: Part 2: responses OLR Crime and Policing 
			 9 December 2004 Offender management statistics 2003 SB Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 9 December 2004 Domestic violence and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships: findings from a self-completion questionnaire OLR Crime and Policing 
			 15 December 2004 Public attitudes to the criminal justice system: the impact of providing information to British Crime Survey respondents OLR Crime and Policing 
			 16 December 2004 Drug offenders in England and Wales 2003 Findings Drugs 
			 16 December 2004 Arrests for notifiable offences and the creation of certain police powers under PACE, England and Wales 2003/2004 SB Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 21 December 2004 Approved premises: the results of a snapshot survey, 2003 Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 21 December 2004 Factors associated with effective practice in bail and probation hostels OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 21 December 2004 Pathfinder programmes in the Probation Service: a retrospective analysis OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 30 December 2004 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey: people, families and communities HORS Communities 
			 19 January 2005 Diversity, trust and community participation in England Findings Communities 
			 20 January 2005 The impact of mandatory drug testing in prisons OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 20 January 2005 The impact and effectiveness of mandatory drug testing in prisons Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 24 January 2005 Prison population projections 2005–2011 SB Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 25 January 2005 Offending in England and Wales: first results from the 2003 Crime and Justice Survey HORS Crime and Policing 
			 25 January 2005 Offending in England and Wales: first results from the 2003 Crime and Justice Survey Findings Crime and Policing 
			 25 January 2005 Young people and antisocial behaviour: findings from the 2003 Crime and Justice Survey Findings Crime and Policing 
			 25 January 2005 The victimisation of young people: findings from the Crime and Justice Survey 2003 Findings Crime and Policing 
			 25 January 2005 Crime and Justice Survey: General Population Feasibility Study OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 25 January 2005 Crime and Justice Survey: Communal Establishments Feasibility Study OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 25 January 2005 Crime in England and Wales, Quarterly update to September 2004 SB (web only) Crime and Policing 
			 25 January 2005 Crime in England and Wales 2003/2004 Supplementary volume 1: homicide and gun crime SB Crime and Policing 
			 27 January 2005 Throughcare and aftercare: approaches and promising practice in service delivery for clients released from prison or leaving residential rehabilitation OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 27 January 2005 Making it happen from the centre: managing for the regional delivery of local crime reduction outcomes OLR Crime and Policing 
			 27 January 2005 Investing to deliver: reviewing the implementation of the UK Crime Reduction Programme HORS Crime and Policing 
			 27 January 2005 The Reducing Burglary Initiative: design, development and delivery HORS Crime and Policing 
			 27 January 2005 The role of early legal advice in asylum applications OLR Immigration and Asylum 
			 27 January 2005 The paradox of Compacts: monitoring the impact of Compacts OLR Communities 
			 27 January 2005 Rapid assessment of powers to close 'crack houses' DPR Crime and Policing 
			 27 January 2005 The nature of rape of females in the Metropolitan Police District Findings Crime and Policing 
			 27 January 2005 Children, risk and crime: the On Track Youth Lifestyles Survey HORS Crime and Policing 
			 27 January 2005 A further study of the effects of alternative education initiatives OLR Crime and Policing 
			 17 February 2005 Juvenile reconviction: results from the 2003 cohort OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 22 February 2005 Asylum statistics: 4th quarter 2004 Online Immigration and Asylum 
			 23 February 2005 Sentencing statistics 2003 England and Wales SB Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 24 February 2005 Statistics on race and the Criminal Justice system, Section 95 Online only Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 24 February 2005 Resettlement outcomes on release from prison in 2003 Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 24 February 2005 Tackling domestic violence: effective interventions and approaches HORS Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 Tackling domestic violence: providing advocacy and support to survivors of domestic violence DPR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 Tackling domestic violence: providing advocacy and support to survivors from Black and other minority ethnic communities DPR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 Providing counselling, support and information to survivors of rape: an evaluation of the 'STAR' Young Persons' Project OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 A gap or a chasm: attrition in reported rape cases HORS Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 Police attitudes to and use of CCTV OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 Public attitudes towards CCTV: results from the Pre-intervention Public Attitude Survey carried out in areas implementing CCTV OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 Assessing the impact of CCTV HORS Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 Control room operation: findings from control room observations OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 National evaluation of CCTV project summary South City OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 National evaluation of CCTV project summary Hawkeye OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 National evaluation of CCTV project summary Northern Estate OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 The impact of CCTV: fourteen case studies OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 A good practice guide for the implementation of deployable CCTV OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 Technical Annex: methods used in assessing the impact of CCTV OLR Crime and Policing 
			 24 February 2005 A survey of the illegally resident population in detention in the UK OLR Immigration and Asylum 
			 24 February 2005 A survey of the illegally resident population in detention in the UK Findings Immigration and Asylum 
			 24 February 2005 An evaluation of basic skills training for prisoners Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 24 February 2005 Understanding electronic monitoring of juveniles on bail or remand to local authority accommodation OLR Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 24 February 2005 Confidence in the criminal justice system: explaining area variation in public confidence Findings Criminal Justice and Corrections 
			 24 February 2005 Literature review on upper level drug trafficking OLR Drugs 
			 24 February 2005 Police Service strength, England and Wales 30 Sept 2004 OLR Crime and Policing 
			 1 March 2005 Drug offenders in England and Wales 2003 Findings Drugs 
		
	
	Key:
	OLR—Online report
	DPR—Development and practice report
	SB—Statistical bulletin
	Findings—Brief summary of research findings
	HORS—Home Office Research Study
	Other/Misc—publications that do not appear in a standard RDS series
	CRCSG—Crime Reduction and Community Safety Group
	OCJR—Office for Criminal Justice Reform
	CG—Communities Group
	IRSS—Immigration Research and Statistics Service

Romanian Entrants

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent investigations have been carried out by the Immigration Service into whether Romanians have illegally entered the EU through the Republic of Ireland and then travelled on to Northern Ireland.

Des Browne: The United Kingdom Immigration Service and the Garda National Immigration Bureau work in close co-operation to restrict the abuse of foreign nationals seeking to enter the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. This co-operation has included a joint operation to assess the traffic of foreign nationals travelling between both countries. A number of Romanians were encountered during this exercise but not in significant numbers.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the contracts signed by his special advisers differ from the Model Contract for Special Advisers.

Charles Clarke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 753W.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to increase voluntary and community sector activity, including increasing community participation, by 5 per cent. by 2006 will be met;
	(2)  whether the public service agreement target to increase value for money from the criminal justice system by 3 per cent. was met in 2004;
	(3)  whether the public service agreement target to increase value for money from the Home Office by 3 per cent. was met in 2004;
	(4)  whether the public service agreement target to ensure annual efficiency gains by the police of at least 2 per cent. was met in 2004.
	(5)  what recent progress has been made towards the public service agreement target to bring about measurable improvements in race equality and community cohesion.

Fiona Mactaggart: Performance against my Department's targets is published in the annual report and the autumn performance report available in the House Library and on the Home Office website (www.homeoffice.gov.uk).

UK Passports

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether changes are planned to the format of (a) the UK passport and (b) the passport application form; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: holding answer 16 March 2005
	With the introduction of the e-passport by the end of 2005, UKPS plan to make changes to the current format of the UK passport. These changes include enhanced security features and aesthetic changes that will distinguish the new book from the current passport. These changes will be ICAO compliant and will contribute to maintaining the UK Passport as one of the most secure passport documents in the world.
	The UK Passport Service regularly reviews the passport application form and associated guidance. The last update was in August 2004. No further changes to the passport application form are planned in the immediate future.

UK Passports

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK passports have been issued in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: holding answer 16 March 2005
	The number of passports issued by the UK Passport Service for each calendar year is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of passports issued 
		
		
			 1997 4,729,467 
			 1998 4,851,215 
			 1999 5,614,360 
			 2000 5,492,141 
			 2001 5,668,272 
			 2002 5,397,050 
			 2003 5,532,350 
			 2004 6,070,626 
		
	
	Note:
	These figures do not include British passports issued abroad by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Violent Crime (Leicester)

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of all recorded violence against the person in Leicester involved no injury in each year since 1999–2000.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 14 March 2005
	The available information relates to the Leicester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area and is only available from 2002–03. 67 per cent. of recorded offences of violence against the person in Leicester in 2002–03 involved no injury. The equivalent figure for 2003–04 was 63 per cent.
	It is important to remember that recorded crime data are, however, affected by changes in reporting and recording. In particular, the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002 led to an increase to the number of offences of violence recorded by the police.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on (a) entertainment lunches involving civil servants and guests and (b) working lunches, in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The Office provides a number of services to the Office of the Advocate-General for Scotland (OAG) that are managed centrally and it is not possible to separate all expenditure between both Offices.
	Neither the Scotland Office nor the OAG hold entertainment lunches. Since 1 July 1999, the Scotland Office and OAG have spent the following on working lunches:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 0 
			 2000–01 4,281 
			 2001–02 1,287 
			 2002–03 5,073 
			 2003–04 3,267

Economic Growth

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the longest period of continuous quarterly economic growth in Scotland was in the last 30 years; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: Quarterly GDP data from the Scottish Executive show that the Scottish economy has been expanding for 10 consecutive quarters. Quarterly statistics for Scotland are only available from 1995; however, there were also 10 quarters of consecutive growth recorded between 1999 Q3 and 2001 Q4.
	Looking ahead, the prospects for the Scottish economy are strong. Business surveys now report continuing growth into 2005 and independent forecasters anticipate above or at trend growth for this year.

Economic Growth

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in which quarters Scotland has been in negative growth since 1997.

Alistair Darling: Of the 31 quarters since (and including) 1997 Ql, 26 were periods of expansion, four were contractionary and there was only one instance of no movement. The four separate quarters of negative growth were 1997 Ql, 1998 Q3, 1999 Q2 and 2002 Ql. There have been no consecutive periods of quarterly negative growth.

St. Andrew's Day

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to mark St. Andrew's Day in 2005.

Anne McGuire: From 2005, the celebration of St. Andrew's Day in Scotland will centre on an annual theme, responsibility for which lies with Scottish Executive Ministers. This year's celebration will focus on the theme of 'One Scotland, Many Cultures', fully recognising Scotland's history and traditions while celebrating our cultural, religious and ethnic diversity.

DEFENCE

Aerospace Industry

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on trade between UK and US companies in the defence section of the aerospace industry.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 7 March 2005
	The aerospace sector continues to form the largest element in UK/US defence trade. This trade is highly important to both nations, helping to ensure that the armed forces of both are supplied with the best available equipment as cost-effectively as possible.

Burgaled Breiz Trawler

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what steps were taken by (a) the Royal Navy and (b) other nations' military involved to broadcast a warning about (i) anti-submarine and (ii) other warfare training exercises in the vicinity at the time of the sinking of the Burgaled Breiz on 15 January 2004; and on which days between 14 and 31 January 2004 military exercises took place in this part of the English Channel;
	(2)  whether (a) UK and (b) other nations' submarines returned to (i) Plymouth and (ii) other ports (A) for technical reasons and (B) due to damage sustained to the vessel in the days after the sinking of the Burgaled Breiz on 15 January 2004;
	(3)  whether the Department has satellite records of the area of the sinking of the Burgaled Breiz at 12.33 GMT on 15 January 2004;
	(4)  what the itinerary was of each (a) UK and (b) other nations' submarine within UK territorial waters south of the Cornish coast on 15 January 2004;
	(5)  how many (a) UK and (b) other EU nations' military helicopters were (i) flying as part of an international military exercise and (ii) prepared for action in the sea area south of the Cornish coast on 15 January 2004;
	(6)  who the owner was of each of the life rafts found by aircrew from RNAS Culdrose based at 771 Search and Rescue Squadron when responding to the foundering of the Cap Burgaled Breiz on 15 January 2004;
	(7)  if he will list the (a) UK and (b) other nations' submarines which took part in military exercises in the English channel during January 2004; and on which days during that month each took part in the exercises;
	(8)  on how many occasions during the period from 1 January 2003 to 31 January 2004 UK naval vessels were involved in a Thursday war military exercise in the English Channel.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Submarine Exercise Area Warnings are published in the Admiralty Notice to Mariners and on Admiralty charts. SUBFACTS (submarine activity in the area), which included the vicinity where the Burgaled Breiz was lost, were broadcast by the Coastguard every four hours from 150140 GMT. Other warnings of warfare training exercises are broadcast only if gunnery firings are to take place. The exercises taking place in this area on 15 January 2004 did not include any gunnery firings.
	The German submarine (FGS) U26 arrived alongside in Plymouth on the day of the sinking at 0748 GMT on 15 January 2004 and sailed at 1600 GMT the same day. She returned to Plymouth on 22 January for a Port Visit before providing planned support to Flag Officer Sea Training from 26–29 January. HMS Turbulent sailed from Plymouth on 16 January for surfaced trials off Rame Head and returned alongside that evening, having suffered damage to a towed cable, while conducting those trials. No other submarines went alongside in Plymouth or other ports on the day of or in the days following the loss of the fishing vessel, either for technical reasons or for damage sustained by any cause.
	We have no record of contemporary satellite images of the area where the Burgaled Breiz sank for any time period on the 15 January 2004. Such images may, however, be available from commercial sources.
	Submarine activity in the English Channel and UK territorial waters during January 2004 was as follows:
	
		
			 Submarine Dates Itinery Position Comments 
		
		
			 HMS Torbay 15 January 2004 UK led exercise At 151253 GMT: 49 deg 32.33 min North, 007 deg 55 min West  
			 HMS Torbay 16–26 January 2004 UK led exercise SW of Cornwall  
			 HNLMS Dolfijn 15 January 2004 On surface in transit to UK led exercise At 151253 GMT: 49 deg 32.33 min North, 005 deg 16.16 min West Responded to relay of Mayday at 1300 GMT from FV reporting position some 11 nautical miles NE of her location. 
			 HNLMS Dolfijn 16–26 January 2004 UK led exercise SW of Cornwall  
			 FGS U22 15 January 2004 On dived passage to Mediterranean Sea At 151253 GMT: 49deg 30.05 min North, 004 deg 07.09 min West Continued her transit through French waters 
			 FGS U26 15 January 2004  Alongside in Devonport from150748 GMT until 151600 GMT  
			 FGS U26 16–22 January 2004 UK led exercise SW of Cornwall  
			 HMS Turbulent 15 January 2004  Alongside in Devonport  
			 HMS Turbulent 16 January 2004 Surfaced trials off Rame Head Off Rame Head (entrance to Plymouth Harbour) Returned to Devonport that evening having suffered damage to a towed cable. 
		
	
	The French submarine (FS) RUBIS was routed by French Navy authorities from French exercise areas off Brest and in the Bay of Biscay into the ASW exercise area for the start of the exercise. Her route brought her in from the South, however, and she did not enter the Channel areas controlled by the UK. On completion of the exercise she was due to visit Plymouth (from 30 January until 2 February), but the weather conditions were too poor to enable a safe recovery of her towed sonar and she made a surfaced passage to Brest.
	The ASW exercise did not commence until 16 January 2004. Helicopters may have been embarked on the vessels with helicopter capability which were alongside at Devonport on 15 January 2004 (four UK, two Dutch, one French) but this cannot be confirmed.
	On 15 January 2004, two Dauphin helicopters from POST were flying in the area; one from approximately 0920 and the other from approximately 1310. The duration of these flights was not recorded but it is not thought that either would have exceeded two hours.
	Helicopters from RNAS Culdrose were conducting training in the local area on 15 January 2004. Between 0830 and 1700 up to five Merlin, three Sea King Mk 5 and two Sea King Mk 7 took part in this training. The duty Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters from Culdrose and Chivenor responded to the Burgaled Breiz incident, covering the time from 1249 to 1700.
	The crew of the RNAS Culdrose SAR helicopter who responded to the emergency reports of the foundering of the Burgaled Breiz found one life raft in the area. This life raft contained a package of papers, which were not opened by the crew of the SAR helicopter, but were passed to the police via the Falmouth Coastguard. A second life raft was found by a French fishing vessel. It is not known if either life raft has been positively identified as belonging to the Burgaled Breiz.
	UK naval vessels were involved in 44 elements of Thursday War" military exercises in the English Channel in the period from 1 January 2003 to 31 January 2004.

Clothing Contracts

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the contract delivery schedule is for battle dress under the cut and sew contract; and what the penalties are for late delivery.

Adam Ingram: Under this Enabling Arrangement, the contract delivery schedule is agreed on each Warrant as it is issued. To date over 100,000 items have now been delivered under the cut and sew contract, including combat clothing items, which were received in advance of the agreed delivery date.
	Penalties are not enforceable under English Law. The prime contractor has the incentive to perform properly under this contract, as the full five-year duration is subject to continued satisfactory performance. The company is required to make alternative arrangements if there is a risk of delivery failure. However, should they still fail to deliver on time, remedies under the contract include the right to claim damages commensurate with any consequent loss suffered by the Department.

Contract Prices

Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what grounds his Department determines whether a contracted price is achievable without subsidy and without additional payments from the Department.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 8 March 2005
	The Department does not subsidise defence contractors or pay for work that is not covered by a contract. Decisions on contract prices and amendments to contract prices are based on long term Value for Money and take account of factors such as equipment performance, timeliness of delivery, risks and their management, sustainability and support of equipment and, where appropriate, wider factors described in the Defence Industrial Policy, which is in Defence Policy Paper No 5, published in October 2002.

Departmental Efficiency

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the February 2005 estimates of his Department's efficiency delivery position mentioned in the Efficiency Technical Note.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 15 March 2005
	Work on revising the figures, to take account of the outcome of the Department's planning and budgeting process for the next financial year, is not yet complete.

Military Uniform

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the stock levels of uniforms for (a) jungle use, (b) winter warfare, (c) general use and (d) desert deployment are.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence currently holds sufficient stocks of uniforms to meet current operational requirements, as identified by the Front Line Commands, for at least the next six months. Information down to individual items of clothing, as requested, could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Sufficient uniforms are also being procured to meet future operational needs for personnel covering the various climates referred to.

Royal Navy

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the level of naval spares.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Naval spares are carried on board each unit at levels that support operational commitments. Onboard holdings on deployed units are supplemented by spares carried afloat on Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, and by shore stocks. The level of spares held ashore is a balance between ensuring normal commitments can be met and minimising the value and volume of stockholdings. These levels are adequate to meet operational commitments under the normal support/reduced support regime currently in place.

Royal Navy

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which naval vessels spares are being taken.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 March 2005
	I will write shortly with a full list of the ships that have had ships' fitted equipment removed from them over the last year. With regard to onboard stores items, these are transferred from one ship's storeroom to another under local arrangements. Such transactions are not normally recorded centrally.

Royal Navy

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer, 25 November 2004, Official Report, column 51W, on the Royal Navy, what decisions have been made about the future of naval tasks (a) Standing Naval Force Mediterranean, (b) Atlantic Patrol South, (c) Atlantic Patrol North, (d) Armilla Patrol, (e) Indian Ocean Patrol and (f) Fleet Ready Escort around the United Kingdom.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 15 March 2005
	I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Royal Navy

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment has been taken from Royal Navy warships in port in the last year to make up for deficiencies on ships that are on operational deployment; how many ships have been involved; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Ships are prioritised by readiness for the Joint Rapid Reaction Force rather than being either 'deployed' or 'in port'.
	The removal of ships' fitted equipment (or parts of it) is known as STOROB. This is a formal process, but is normally used as last resort to meet high readiness operational commitments in cases where the demanded items are not available from other sources. Because of the impact on the donor ship's capability, this is only considered when the donor ship is either reducing in readiness towards upkeep or disposal, or is already in upkeep.
	I will write to you shortly with a full list of the ships and equipment that have been involved in the STOROB process over the last year, and I will place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

Royal Navy

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy ships are on the list for disposal.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Presently there are a number of ships on the list for disposal, some vessels are being disposed of in the normal course whereas others have been declared surplus following the Government's announcement in July 2004, as a supplement to the Defence White Paper 2003—Delivering Security in a Changing World Future Capabilities.
	Three Type 23 Frigates (HMS Norfolk, HMS Marlborough, and HMS Grafton).
	Three Sandown Single Role Minehunters (HMS Bridport, HMS Inverness, and HMS Sandown).
	Two Landing Ships Logistics (RFAs Sir Percivale and Sir Galahad).
	Three Northern Patrol Vessels (HMS Dulverton, HMS Brecon, and HMS Cottesmore).
	Three Type 42 Destroyers (HMS Glasgow, HMS Newcastle and HMS Cardiff).
	Two Landing Platform Docks (HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid) Two Castle Class OPVs (HMS Leeds Castle and HMS Dumbarton Castle).

Royal Navy

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efficiency savings have been made against fleet activity in the Royal Navy for each of the last seven years.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 14 March 2005
	Prior to financial year 2000–01, there was no requirement to record efficiency savings. With effect from FY 2004–05 the requirement to record such measures will once again cease. The following year-on-year efficiency savings for those FYs in which records were mandatory, were achieved in the Fleet TLB:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
		
		
			 2000–01 8.233 
			 2001–02 5.206 
			 2002–03 15.786 
			 2003–04 22.485 
		
	
	Efficiency savings resulting from the Fleet TLB restructuring (Fleet First) in March 2002 constitute the major element of the savings achieved in the latter two FYs.

Tornado Aircraft

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for providing a deep maintenance facility at RAF Leuchars for the Tornado F3.

Adam Ingram: As far as is practicable it is intended to consolidate Tornado F3 Main Operating Base maintenance facilities at RAF Leuchars, in line with the recommendations of the End to End Logistics Review.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Accelerate Programme

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the 16 companies in the Birmingham, Hodge Hill constituency that are participating in Advantage West Midland's Accelerate Programme.

Nigel Griffiths: The following are the 16 companies that have had/have support from the Accelerate Programme and are in the Hodge Hill constituency.
	Delcam Plc, B100HJ
	Modular Auto International Ltd., BIO OHJ
	Alstain Metal Services, BIO OHR
	Hi-Vol (CNC) Productions Ltd., B10 OQJ
	Illston and Robson, BI0 OQQ
	Delcam Ltd., B10 0HJ
	Redfern Stevens Ltd., B25 SHE
	CJD Mayers, B25 8HT
	Ionic Engineering , B25 8LD
	Tocco Ltd., B33 OLG
	A C Coatings, B33 OSL
	Brydon Pressing, B33 OSL
	Micron Engineering, B33 OSL
	ABL (Aluminium Components) Ltd., B33 OTD
	JJ Engineering Ltd., B33 OTJ
	RPL Productions, B33 9BE

Credit Card Borrowing

Parmjit Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans her Department has to issue guidance on the consequences of unsustainable borrowing on credit cards.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Credit is an integral part of our daily lives and in the majority of cases consumers are using credit successfully—confident in their ability to repay due to the underlying economic stability.
	We have been particularly concerned to ensure that consumers are made aware of the cost of their borrowing. To this end, the Consumer Credit (Agreements) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 laid before Parliament on 9 June 2004 include provisions to ensure that consumers are made aware of the dangers of failing to repay their borrowing, including the fact that missing payments can have severe consequences for the consumer.
	We have also worked closely with the credit industry in developing the voluntary warnings they have introduced on monthly statements about the dangers of making only minimum payments.

Emissions Trading

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the Emissions Trading Scheme on electricity prices in the UK.

Mike O'Brien: Assessments on the impact of the Emissions Trading Scheme should be treated with caution. The impact on electricity prices is difficult to assess and is dependent on the carbon price, so for example at a carbon price of €5 per tonne of carbon dioxide the Department estimates that electricity prices to industry might increase by around 6 per cent. and prices to the domestic consumer by around 3 per cent. An analysis of the implications of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme for electricity prices is available at: www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sepn/ilexetsfinal.pdf

Fuel Poverty

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the effect on the number of households in fuel poverty of rises in retail prices of gas and electricity since 2003.

Mike O'Brien: The number of people in fuel poverty fell from 5.4 million in 1996 to about 2¼ million in 2002. Analysis of the overall effects of changes in fuel prices and incomes suggests that the total number of vulnerable households in fuel poverty is likely to rise by a limited amount in 2004 and 2005—perhaps by up to 200,000 households in England, where vulnerable households are defined as those containing children, the elderly, the disabled or someone with long term sickness.

Gas Prices

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the recent price shock on the spot market for gas in the UK; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the impact that the large sudden rise in gas spot prices will have on the UK's manufacturing base; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The high spot gas prices at the end of February and beginning of March appear to have been caused by high demand and market concerns over supply tightness during cold weather across Europe. There were also technical problems reducing supplies from the North Sea and issues around the levels in short and medium term storage. Temperatures have now returned to at or above the seasonal average, and supply concerns have lessened. Spot prices have reduced accordingly, and we still have supplies in storage to meet another cold snap. The impact on manufacturing companies will vary extensively and depend on a variety of factors, including how much gas individual companies use and the exposure of a particular company to the spot price.

Newspaper Distribution

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  when the Government will respond to the Office of Fair Trading's announcement of provisional conclusions on newspaper and magazine distribution;
	(2)  when the Office of Fair Trading will publish its draft advisory opinion on its provisional conclusions on newspaper and magazine distribution.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I understand the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) plans to publish its draft advisory opinion for public consultation around end of March 2005 with a view to publishing a final opinion by 1 May 2005. The OFT's provisional opinion does not include anything that requires a response from the Government.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the Department spent on (a) stationery and (b) office supplies in each year since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: Expenditure for stationery and office supplies can be provided only from 1998–99, the first year for which resource information was produced; any earlier figures would not be meaningful. The following figures show the total expenditure between 1998–99 and 2003–04.
	
		£ million
		
			  Stationery Office supplies 
		
		
			 1998–99 2.07 0.13 
			 1999–2000 1.92 0.14 
			 2000–01 2.04 0.15 
			 2001–02 1.68 0.09 
			 2002–03 2.41 0.13 
			 2003–04 1.83 0.08 
		
	
	The purchasing of stationery and office supplies is the responsibility of individual management units.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent on postage by the Department in each year since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: Expenditure on postage can be provided only from 1998–99, the first year for which resource information was produced; any earlier figures would not be meaningful.
	The following figures show the total expenditure on postage between 1998–99 and 2003–04.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99 1.23 
			 1999–2000 1.12 
			 2000–01 1.18 
			 2001–02 1.01 
			 2002–03 1.12 
			 2003–04 1.34 
		
	
	Departmental policy is that all Royal Mail will be sent second class unless Directorates specify first class on the envelope and are prepared to pay the difference in cost from their own budgets.

Online Company Registration

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the latest figures are for online company registration; and what steps she has taken to evaluate consumer satisfaction with the process.

Gerry Sutcliffe: At the end of February of the financial year 2004–05 Companies House had incorporated a total of 297,368 companies, of which 219,570 were incorporated electronically. This represents 73.8 per cent. of the total number of incorporations for that period. Companies House has regular contact with the customers for this service via an electronic filing focus group which meets in April and November each year. Customers can also provide feedback through our customer services team at any other time if they wish.
	To evaluate consumer satisfaction with the service, Companies House carries out regular Customer Satisfaction Surveys. The following table gives results from the last two quarters' surveys in areas relevant to online company registration.
	The table gives the results of the latest customer satisfaction survey and the figures given indicate the percentage of people satisfied when questioned about the services provided. Figures are given for the previous and most recent quarterly survey.
	
		Customer Satisfaction Survey
		
			 Percentage 
			  2004 
			  Quarter 2 Quarter 3 
		
		
			 Customer care attitude 83.6 83.5 
			 How reliable do you find the service? 80.8 82.8 
			 Contact centre staff attitude 83.7 82.7 
			 New companies attitude 83.5 81.6 
			 How easy did you find the electronic filing service to use? 76.5 80.8 
			 IT support attitude 81.7 79.2 
			 New companies knowledge 80.9 79.2 
			 If you had to call the helpdesk (0845 3333636) how quickly did we resolve the problem? 73.6 74.4 
			 If there was a problem with the service how quickly did we make it known? 71.4 71.2

Renewable Energy

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to co-operate with those in the microgeneration industry on the removal of (a) network connection requirements, (b) metering requirements, (c) impediments to access to renewables obligation certificates and (d) other regulatory barriers for domestic consumers wishing to install microgeneration.

Mike O'Brien: Energy Act 2004 commits the Government to producing a strategy for the promotion of microgeneration in the UK. As part of the process of developing the strategy we are consulting on an informal basis with key stakeholders in the industry and other interested parties on a wide variety of issues including connection and metering requirements, access to renewable obligation certificates and other regulatory barriers. There will also be a formal public consultation before the final strategy is published.

Sub-contractors

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the letters of comfort issued by the holding company immediately prior to liquidation of Ballast plc to sub-contractors and suppliers gave a fair and reasonable view of that company's financial position; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Ballast plc went into administration in October 2003 following withdrawal of support from its Dutch parent. It did not go into liquidation until October 2004.

Supermarkets

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2005, Official Report, column 630W, on supermarkets, what discussions she has had with the chairman of the Office of Fair Trading concerning the timetable for the publication of its report into the auditing of supermarket-supplier contracts announced in its report into the supermarket code of practice in February 2004.

Gerry Sutcliffe: In the context of considering the publication of the audit of the supermarket code, both the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and DTI officials have been involved in a number of discussions, including requests for updates on timing. The audit was also raised briefly during a regular meeting between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Board of the OFT that took place in mid-January. The OFT intend their audit will be published before Easter.

Women's Employment

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of factors affecting (a) entry to the labour market, (b) progression within the labour market and (c) re-entry into the labour market after pregnancy by women from ethnic minority groups.

Patricia Hewitt: DTI is working with the Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force, led by the Department for Work and Pensions, to tackle the barriers to labour market participation faced by ethnic minorities, including those faced by ethnic minority women and ethnic minority women returners. This work stems from the Strategy Unit report Ethnic minorities in the labour market" published in March 2003. DTI's specific contribution is around working with business to promote race equality and diversity in the workplace and promoting enterprise.
	The taskforce has published an interim report on its first year's activities. That report and further information about the taskforce's activities are available from the taskforce website at www.emetaskforce.gov.uk, and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The final report is due by autumn 2006.

PRIME MINISTER

Civil Service Bill

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what response he has made to the Civil Service Commissioners following the Commissioners' response to the consultation on the draft Civil Service Bill on management relationships between Mr. Jonathan Powell and civil servants.

Tony Blair: The deadline for comments on the Government's proposals for civil service legislation was 28 February 2005. The Government are considering responses from the Civil Service Commissioners and others. They will make a statement when they have given the responses full and proper consideration.

Iraq (Attorney-General's Advice)

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer of 9 March 2005, Official Report, column 1516, to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd), to whom he was referring in his reference to others.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him at Prime Minister's questions on 9 March 2005, Official Report, column 1514.

Royal Meetings

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Prime Minister which of his meetings with HRH the Prince of Wales during the period 1 to 10 February were not published in the official Court Circular; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: Details of meetings published in the Court Circular are a matter for the Royal Household. Discussions with the Royal Household are not disclosed.

Terrorism

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons alleged known terrorists at large in the United Kingdom, to whom he referred in his interview on Woman's Hour on 28 February, have not yet been detained.

Tony Blair: Wherever possible, those alleged to have committed terrorist offences are prosecuted and committed for trial as soon as all the available admissible evidence has been gathered. However, in some cases the intelligence available may suggest that the person poses a potential terrorist threat but there is insufficient admissible evidence to bring a criminal charge. It is for that reason that the Government introduced the control order provisions in the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005.

Correspondence

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Prime Minister when he will answer the letter of 2 March from the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid-Kent referring to his answer of the same day— 2 March 2005, Official Report, column 954, about the effect of the new Licensing Act 2003 on sports clubs.

Tony Blair: I shall reply to the hon. Member's letter shortly.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Albert Fisher Group Pension Scheme

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance will be available to members of the Albert Fisher Group Pension Scheme under the recently announced financial assistance scheme; and what assistance is available to members not covered by these provisions.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer to the written statement I gave on the Financial Assistance Scheme, on 22 February 2005, Official Report, column 16WS.
	In addition, a range of state provision is available, depending on individual circumstances, for pensioners and others more generally.

Benefit Fraud

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many local authority benefit fraud investigators have (a) commenced and (b) completed the Professionalism in Security Accredited Counter Fraud Officer Scheme.

Chris Pond: pursuant to the reply, 6 December 2004, Official Report, c. 368W
	Up until April 2004, 283 local authority benefit fraud investigators had commenced but not completed the Professionalism in Security (PINS) training scheme and 1,557 had completed it.

DLA

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Disability Living Allowance applications for adults were rejected and then subsequently approved after review in each of the past three years, broken down by (a) county and (b) region.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information that is available is set out in the following tables.
	
		Table 1: DLA first awards on initial claims and reviews for working age adults in Great Britain by Government Office Region in 2002, 2003, 2004.
		
			 Thousand 
			  2002 2003 2004 
			  Initial claim Reviews Initial claim Reviews Initial claim Reviews 
		
		
			 North-east 49.2 6.4 50.3 5.7 50.8 5.3 
			 North-west 129.7 18.0 138.2 17.7 143.9 17.7 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 80.8 9.9 85.4 9.8 89.9 9.8 
			 East Midlands 60.9 6.9 64.4 7.2 67.4 7.3 
			 West Midlands 80.0 9.3 85.1 9.4 87.7 8.9 
			 East 58.6 6.5 64.6 6.1 66.9 6.2 
			 London 88.1 10.0 95.4 10.2 102.3 9.9 
			 South-east 67.0 8.0 72.4 8.5 79.1 8.3 
			 South-west 53.5 6.2 58.4 6.3 63.5 6.4 
			 Wales 66.8 9.2 69.9 9.3 72.5 9.0 
			 Scotland 85.8 12.2 94.1 11.4 98.5 10.6 
			 Total 820.3 102.6 878.2 101.6 922.6 99.4 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Datasets derived from the 5 per cent. sample do not include information on successful claims.
	2. County information is not available because the data is not fully populated and therefore would provide unreliable results.
	3. Initial claims include new claims, duplicate claims and renewal claims.
	Source:
	DWP Information Division 5 per cent. sample of first awards in the 12 months to 31 August of each year. Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	
		Table 2: Disability living allowance: numbers of new claims (i) decided and (ii) refused in Great Britain in each calendar year from 2002 to 2004.
		
			  Number of decisions on new claims Number of claims refused Claim refusal rate (percentage) 
		
		
			 2002 420,840 194,605 46 
			 2003 436,510 215,135 49 
			 2004 444,275 234,180 53 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures broken down by age or by Government Office Regions and counties are not available.
	Source:
	DWP Disability and Carers Service Management Information System (MIS) 100 per cent. data. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 and are not comparable from those derived from the 5 per cent. sample data given in table 1.
	
		Table 3: Disability living allowance: numbers of reviews (i) registered and (ii) decided; and (iii) numbers of successful reviews in Great Britain in each calendar year from 2002 to 2004.
		
			  Number of reviews registered Reviews decided Successful reviews 
		
		
			 2002 266,695 267,655 122,450 
			 2003 258,930 258,030 117,375 
			 2004 (25)237,155 251,845 (25)107,165 
		
	
	(25) Figures for the number of reviews registered and successful reviews are for the period 1 January 2004 to 30 November 2004. Figures are not yet available for December 2004.
	Notes:
	1. Figures broken down by age or by Government Office Regions and counties are not available.
	2. Reviews may not be decided in the year they are registered. Hence, the figures shown for reviews decided and successful in each year are not comparable with the number of reviews registered in each year, and the number of unsuccessful reviews cannot be derived from those figures.
	Source:
	DWP Disability and carers service management information system (MIS) 100 per cent. data. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 and are not comparable from those derived from the 5 per cent. sample data given in table 1.

Maternity Pay

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the statistics relating to maternity pay, which, since 1997 (a) are no longer collected by his Department and (b) have had the way in which the figures are compiled changed.

Maria Eagle: The Department produces data on Maternity Allowance payments.
	We have not produced annual figures for Maternity Allowance since 2000–01. However, we continue to produce figures on a quarterly basis.
	Since we ceased to produce annual data we no longer have a record of the reason for non-payment of Statutory Maternity Pay.
	From the May 2000 quarter data is available on the number of jobs the claimant is recorded as having.
	The employment status of the claimant is shown in figures from the August 2000 quarter.

Pensions

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been paid to pensioners in Leeds, West as a result of increases in the state pension since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The total extra basic state pension paid to pensioners in Leeds, West as a result of above inflation increases in the state pension since 1997 (covering the years 1997–98 to 2004–05 inclusive) is £12.7 million, in 2004–05 prices.
	Notes
	1. Figures are calculated by comparing what would have happened if basic state pension had been increased in line with the Retail Prices Index since 1997 with what actually happened.
	2. Figures for Leeds, West are derived using the overall share of Great Britain expenditure paid to pensioners living in Leeds, West constituency, based on a 5 per cent. sample of retirement pension recipients, and subject to a degree of sampling error.
	3. Expenditure on state pensions will have risen for other reasons including a growing population, improved contributions records and the gradual maturing of past policy changes. These effects are not included in the figures as they would have occurred had 1997 policies been continued.
	4. Additional spending on the State Second Pension over the period, other than due to factors given under note 3 above, is negligible.
	5. The figures do not include additional spending on minimum income guarantee/pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit, winter fuel payments and other age-related payments, or Over 75 TV licences, that has also been paid to pensioners since 1997.

Pensions

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of (a) men and (b) women receiving the basic state pension did not receive (i) a full basic state pension and (ii) a basic state pension of 75 per cent. or more of the value of the basic state pension in 2004, (A) in total and (B) broken down by age groups (1) 60–64 years, (2) 65–69 years, (3) 70–74 years, (4) 75–79 years and (5) 80 years plus.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Basic state pension recipients in Great Britain receiving less than the full basic state pension Basic state pension recipients in Great Britain not receiving more than 75 per cent, or more of the full basic state pension 
			  Men Women Men Women 
		
		
			 All 10.2 50.9 2.9 42.7 
			 60–64 years of age — 74.0 — 54.4 
			 65–69 years of age 15.3 68.9 4.0 58.7 
			 70–74 years of age 11.8 57.1 3.6 51.3 
			 75–79 years of age 6.9 42.0 2.3 38.1 
			 80 years of age and over 3.7 20.2 1.2 17.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are taken from a five per cent., sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	3. Percentages are given as a proportion of the relevant gender and age group receiving a basic state pension.
	4. A basic state pension is paid to those who fully or partially satisfy the contribution conditions for a Category A or Category B basic state pension, either in their own right or, where applicable, on the basis of their late or former spouse's national insurance contributions.
	5. Numbers do not include people entitled to a basic state pension which is then increased when they meet the conditions for a Category D pension.
	6. Full rate means the standard rate of a Category A or B basic state pension based on a person's own or late spouse's national insurance contributions—£77.45 for a Category A basic state pension in 2003–04.
	7.75 per cent., of a Category A basic state pension in 2003–04 was £58.09.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre five per cent., sample as at 31 March 2004

Pensions

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women were in receipt of state retirement pension in the Tamworth constituency in (i) 1999 and (ii) 2004; what each is as a percentage of the Tamworth population; and what percentage of the population of England are in receipt of state retirement pension.

Malcolm Wicks: The information which is available shows that, as at September 1999, there were 13,400 recipients of the state pension in the Tamworth constituency, of whom 5,200 were males and 8,200 were females. As at September 2004, there were 14,700 state pension recipients in the Tamworth constituency, of whom 5,600 were males and 9,100 were females.
	It is not possible to express the number of recipients as a percentage of the population in the Tamworth constituency, because the relevant population estimates are not held at constituency level. However, as at September 2004 the percentage of the population of England in receipt of a state pension was 18 per cent.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are taken from a five per cent., sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	2. State pension means Category A, B, C or D state pension or graduated retirement benefit.
	3. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and are expressed in thousands.
	4. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory.
	5. Population figures are estimates as at mid-2003 as provided by the Office for National Statistics.
	Source:
	IAD five per. cent sample as at 30 September for the years shown.

Pensions

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to include the Roxby pension scheme in the indicative list of schemes potentially eligible for the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The provisional list published on 22 February contains those pension schemes on which we received information in our latest data collection exercise and that appear potentially eligible under the scheme entry criteria we have outlined. Presence on this list does not guarantee individuals will receive support from the FAS.
	Schemes may not have been included on the provisional list either because they did not appear to meet the eligibility criteria or because the information provided was not sufficient to assess potential eligibility. After the FAS regulations have come into force, there will be a six-month period during which we shall accept formal notification from the representatives of other under-funded pension schemes, which may in due course be added to the list, so absence from this list does not preclude eligibility.

Savings

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the population has estimated savings in excess of (a) £5,000, (b) £10,000, (c) £15,000, (d) £20,000, (e) £25,000, (f) 50,000 and (g) £100,000.

Chris Pond: Information on individual accounts and savings outside of the range £1,500 to £20,000 is not available.
	The Family Resources Survey can provide estimates for Great Britain of adult savings held within benefit units. This information is presented in the following table:
	
		Percentage of benefit units
		
			  Limit (£) Benefit units with savings above certain limits 
		
		
			 Above 5000 30 
			 Above 10,000 20 
			 Above 15,000 15 
			 Above 20,000 12 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). 2002–03 is the latest year for which data is available.
	2. Questions on assets are a sensitive part of the FRS questionnaire and have relatively low level of response. Evidence suggests some under reporting of capital by respondents.
	3. A benefit unit is a single adult or couple living as married and any dependent children.
	4. The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the FRS to Government Office Region populations by age and sex. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining response bias.
	Source:
	2002–03 Family Resources Survey, Great Britain

HEALTH

Alcohol-related Deaths

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of deaths caused by alcohol in each year since 1997, broken down by age and gender.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 17 March 2005
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the number of deaths caused by alcohol in each year since 1997, broken down by age and gender. I am replying in his absence.
	The information requested is given in the reply to David Amess MP, Official Report 53, column 78W.

Broomfield Hospital

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were performed at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford, Essex in each year from 1990 to 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: Information is not collected by individual hospital. All operations for Mid Essex hospitals national health service trust, of which Broomfield hospital is a part, are shown in the table. Information prior to 1992–93 is not held centrally.
	
		
			  Mid Essex hospital services trust Mid Essex hospitals NHS trust 
		
		
			 1992–93 23,695 — 
			 1993–94 21,804 — 
			 1994–95 26,127 — 
			 1995–96 — 30,766 
			 1996–97 — 37,055 
			 1997–98 — 38,420 
			 1998–99 — 37,662 
			 1999–2000 — 36,733 
			 2000–01 — 36,781 
			 2001–02 — 39,459 
			 2002–03 — 42,888 
			 2003–04 — 43,219 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All operations count of episodes—these figures represent a count of all finished consultant episodes (FCEs) where the procedure was mentioned in any of the 12 (four prior to 2002–03) operation fields in a hospital episode statistics (HES) record. A record is only included once in each count, even if an operation is mentioned in more than one operation field of the record.
	2. The main operation is the first recorded operation in the HES data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, e.g. time waited, but the figures for all operations count of episodes" give a more complete count of episodes with an operation.
	3. Secondary procedure—as well as the main operative procedure, there are up to 11 (13 prior to 2002–03) secondary operation fields in HES that show secondary or additional procedures performed on the patient during the episode of care.
	4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.

Broomfield Hospital

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many in-patients were treated at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford, Essex in each year from 1990 to 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: Information is not collected by individual hospital. The number of finished admission episodes for Mid Essex hospitals national health service trust, of which Broomfield hospital is a part, is shown in the table. Information prior to 1992–93 is not held centrally.
	
		
			  Mid Essex hospital services trust Mid Essex hospitals NHS trust 
		
		
			 1992–93 37,482 — 
			 1993–94 35,899 — 
			 1994–95 41,504 — 
			 1995–96 — 48.496 
			 1996–97 — 53,346 
			 1997–98 — 54,553 
			 1998–99 — 53,806 
			 1999–2000 — 52,605 
			 2000–01 — 53,999 
			 2001–02 — 57,569 
			 2002–03 — 61,131 
			 2003–04 — 64,447 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A finished admission episode is the first" period of on in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	Hospital episode statistics, Department of Health.

Broomfield Hospital

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times for patients undergoing cataract operations at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford, Essex were in each year from 1990 to 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: Information is not collected by individual hospital. The number of days patients wait for cataract operations at Mid Essex hospitals national health service trust, of which Broomfield hospital is a part, for each year from 1992–93 to 2003–04 are shown in the table. Data prior to 1992 is not held centrally.
	
		
			  Median waiting time (days) 
		
		
			 1992–93 277 
			 1993–94 262 
			 1994–95 257 
			 1995–96 201 
			 1996–97 273 
			 1997–98 293 
			 1998–99 371 
			 1999–2000 349 
			 2000–01 332 
			 2001–02 328 
			 2002–03 333 
			 2003–04 218 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The main operation is the first recorded operation in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, e.g. time waited, but the figures for all operations count of episodes" give a more complete count of episodes with an operation. Cataracts operations defined as 071,072,074,075 (OPCS4 Procedure).
	2. A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data-year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	3. Time waited statistics from HES are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period, whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
	4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed)
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.

Cancer Care (North Somerset)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average waiting time for those diagnosed with suspected cancer within the North Somerset primary care trust area to see a specialist following an initial GP referral was in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people have been diagnosed with suspected cancer within the North Somerset primary care trust area in each of the last two years; and how many were able to see a specialist within two weeks of a GP referral.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested on average waiting times is not collected centrally.
	Information on the number of patients referred to a specialist following a referral from their general practitioner is available on a provider rather than commissioner, such as North Somerset primary care trust, basis. Information for Western area health national health service trust, including the percentage seen within two weeks, is shown in the table.
	
		Urgent referrals received within 24 hours and within two weeks: all suspected cancers—Weston Area NHS Trust (RA3)
		
			 Number of patients seen during the quarter by a specialist after 14 days of the decision to refer by their GP 
			 Quarter/year Percentage compliance with the two week standard Total referrals seen during the quarter Number of patients seen during the quarter by a specialist within 14 days of the decision to refer by their GP 15 to 16 days 17 to 21 days 22 to 28 days after 28 days 
		
		
			 Q3/2004–05 100.00 577 577 0 0 0 0 
			 Q2/2004–05 100.00 317 317 0 0 0 0 
			 Q1/2004–05 100.00 434 434 0 0 0 0 
			 Q4/2003–04 100.00 157 157 0 0 0 0 
			 Q3/2003–04 100.00 21 21 0 0 0 0 
			 Q2/2003–04 100.00 26 26 0 0 0 0 
			 Q1/2003–04 94.12 17 16 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	Source:
	CWT-DB provider based

Carers

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  who the official responsible for the National Carers Strategy is;
	(2)  who is responsible for the Department's carers website.

Stephen Ladyman: The policy management unit in the Department's older people's and disability division, which is part of the care services directorate, has ongoing responsibility for policy on carers. The Government actively supported the private members Bill last year that has now become the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004. Departmental officials are currently working on the implementation of the Act and guidance. Young carers are the responsibility of the Department for Education and Skills.

Carers

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the Social Care Institute of Excellence on carers.

Stephen Ladyman: The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) works with people throughout the social care sector to identify useful information, research and examples of best practice. The SCIE works closely with people receiving services, their carers and their representative organisations. The SCIE will be taking forward the development of practice guidance to accompany the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004. The exact format of that guidance is yet to be decided, but, subject to stakeholder agreement, it is likely to build on the current SCIE knowledge review for carers and follow the format taken for other SCIE practice guides. An outline of the work programme and how people can become involved in the development of the guide will be communicated in due course through carers' networks as well as SCIE's website at www.scie.org.uk and the Department's carers website at www.carers.gov.uk.

Carers

Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the inspection of the implementation of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004.

Stephen Ladyman: The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) has the responsibility for bringing about improvements in services for those that use them, including carers. It is the responsibility of CSCI to assess services for carers, including the implementation of the new Act, as part of its responsibility to monitor council performance in social services.
	The Government are assessing, also through the CSCI, councils' performance in supporting carers through a new carers' performance indicator. This demonstrates that support for carers continues to be a priority for the Government. The new carers' performance indicator will be published in autumn 2005.

Dentistry

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2004, Official Report, column 1469W, on NHS dentists, how many of the extra 1,000 full-time dentists to be recruited into the NHS by October have so far been recruited.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 25 February 2005
	The Department is gathering information on progress with the recruitment of 1,000 whole-time equivalent dentists since April 2004. This will include local national health service recruitment activity and departmental central recruitment, including the 28 Polish dentists who began work in England in January and the further 41 starting work during March and early April.

Departmental Accounts

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Ministers in his Department have issued written instructions to override his Department's accounting officer's objections since 1997.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 14 March 2005, Official Report, column 80W.

Diabetes

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will take steps to provide access for patients to the new treatment for diabetes on the NHS.

Rosie Winterton: Research into islet cell transplant, a possible new treatment for people with diabetes, is still at an early stage. Decisions regarding the funding of this treatment by the national health service will be taken when the results of further clinical trials have been considered.

GP List Sizes

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average general practitioner list size was in Greater London, broken down by primary care trust or health authority, in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Hatfield (New Hospital)

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the cost of the new hospital planned to be built at Hatfield.

Stephen Ladyman: I am informed by Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire strategic health authority that East and North Hertfordshire national health service trust currently estimate that the cost of the new hospital planned to be built at Hatfield is £550 million.

Hatfield (New Hospital)

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision he is making for the construction of homes for key workers and in-patients' relatives at the new hospital in Hatfield; and what the cost is of each.

Stephen Ladyman: The local national health service have planned for 450 units of accommodation on the Hatfield site and 200 units of accommodation on the Queen Elizabeth II site at Welwyn Garden City and are developing this with a housing association. The cost of each has not yet been calculated.

Hatfield (New Hospital)

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to his Department will be of providing cancer treatment facilities at the new planned hospital at Hatfield; and what estimate he has made of the cost of provision of such facilities to an equivalent standard at Mount Vernon hospital Northwood.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has not made an estimate of these costs.

Hatfield (New Hospital)

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to move the in-patient facilities of the cancer centre at Mount Vernon hospital to a new hospital at Hatfield.

Stephen Ladyman: The local national health service has plans to move the in-patient facilities of the cancer centre to a new hospital at Hatfield. It is understood that this will take place at the end of December 2011.

Hatfield (New Hospital)

John Wilkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the number of (a) cancer in-patients who could be referred to the new hospital in Hatfield from within a 15 mile radius of it and (b) cancer in-patients who can be referred to the Cancer Centre at Mount Vernon hospital, Northwood, from within a 15 mile radius of it.

Stephen Ladyman: Within Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire as part of an approved strategic outline case a new hospital at Hatfield is planned providing a specialist cancer centre in Hertfordshire.
	At this stage, the local national health service has not undertaken this level of analysis.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the capital and revenue costs of Patient Archiving and Communications systems will be met by (a) the Department of Health and (b) the National Programme for IT.

John Hutton: Both the capital and revenue cost of picture archiving and communications systems will be met by a combination of Departmental and national health service funding.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the trusts listed in the National Programme for IT deployment plans as intending to deploy hospital and clinical administration systems by the end of March have fully implemented basic Patient Archiving and Communication systems for all users throughout each trust.

John Hutton: Picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) deployment is not dependent on wider national programme for information technology deployments of hospital and clinical administration systems. PACS implementation work has started at 12 early adopter sites, which are expected to go live before the summer.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates his Department has made of the capital and revenue costs of Patient Archiving and Communication systems for each NHS Trust in England and Wales over the next 10 years.

John Hutton: Trust-specific estimates are not made centrally. Overall estimates of picture archiving and communications systems work contracted by the national programme for information technology (NPfIT) over the next 10 years are based on the three out of five NPfIT cluster areas in England where contracts have now been signed. The work is estimated to have associated capital and revenue costs of £861 million over the next 10 years.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department will pay to fund the capital and revenue costs of the cluster data stores to be provided by local service providers as part of their picture archiving and communications contract with the Department.

John Hutton: The Department's total planned contribution, via the national programme for information technology, is £61 million capital and £225 million revenue.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many changes there have been to the original specifications of the NHS data spine.

John Hutton: None. However, there have been seven additions to the specification as a result of new or revised business processes and requirements that have arisen since the development of the original specification.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trusts in each of the clusters of the NHS National Programme for IT have signed off full trust business cases to take picture archiving and communications systems from their local service provider.

John Hutton: Two trusts have signed off full business cases to implement picture archiving and communications systems (PACS). Governance arrangements are being adhered to at other sites where PACS implementation work has commenced, to ensure appropriate due diligence, while they await final sign-off of their business cases.

IT Projects

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government is still working towards the target that picture archiving and communications systems should be (a) 80 per cent. implemented across the NHS in England by the end of 2006 and (b) 100 per cent. implemented by the end of 2007.

John Hutton: The target for picture archiving and communications systems roll-out is 80 per cent. completion by the end of March 2006 and 100 per cent. completion by the end of March 2007.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the detection of mental illness in older people.

Stephen Ladyman: The national service framework (NSF) for older people, launched in March 2001, sets out a model for the development of services for older people with mental health needs. The NSF makes it clear that early detection and diagnosis of mental health problems should be an integral part of the development of services for older people.

Mental Health

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children and young people aged under 18 years are suffering from a mental disorder, broken down by type of disorder.

Stephen Ladyman: In a survey of 10,000 children and adolescents by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)—Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Great Britain, ONS 2000—among five to 10-year-olds, 10 per cent. of boys and 6 per cent. of girls had a mental disorder. In the 11 to 15-year-old age group, the proportion of children with any type of mental disorder was 13 per cent. for boys and 10 per cent. for girls. Another report by the ONS—Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adults in Private Households, ONS 2000"—gives prevalence rates for mental disorders among the 16 to 19 years age group.
	Prevalence rates for individual disorders are shown in the reports, which are available in the Library.

Mental Health

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 2 March 2005, Official Report, column 1229W, on mental health care, if his Department will contact all NHS trusts to ask whether they (a) supplement the income of and (b) provide goods in kind for people in hospital for more than a year.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has no plans to contact all national health service trusts to ask whether they supplement the income of and provide goods in kind for people in hospital for more than a year.

Myasthenia Gravis

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average waiting time is for patients diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in (a) the East Midlands and (b) England;
	(2)  what steps he will take to increase awareness of myasthenia gravis among NHS health professionals.

Stephen Ladyman: Figures on waiting times for the treatment of neurological conditions are published, but myasthenia gravis is not separately identified.
	We have no specific plans to raise awareness of the condition among the medical profession. The Department is not responsible for setting curricula for health professional training; that is rightly the responsibility of the statutory and professional bodies. However, we do share a commitment with those bodies that all health professionals are trained so that they have the skills and knowledge to deliver a high quality health service to all groups of the population with whom they deal.
	The national service framework for long-term conditions focuses on improving services for people with neurological conditions. While the framework does not cover myasthenia gravis specifically, it does recommend improvements in standards, care and support that will benefit everyone with a neurological condition.

Neonatal Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding he made available to support (a) all neonatal care services and (b) neonatal intensive care services in each year since 1999–2000; and what funding will be made available in 2005–06.

Stephen Ladyman: Neonatal care services are provided through national health service general funding allocations. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health recently announced an increase in the level of NHS general funding allocation to £135 billion for the financial years 2006–07 and 2007–08. The table shows additional funding for neonatal intensive care services. The additional revenue funding in 2004–05 is recurrent in 2005–06.
	
		Additional funding to improve neonatal intensive care services -- £ million
		
			  Funding 
			  Capital Revenue 
		
		
			 2000–01 6.5 5 
			 2001–02 — 5 
			 2002–03 — 5 
			 2003–04 20 12 
			 2004–05 — 20

Neonatal Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many managed clinical networks providing neonatal care there are in England; what the ratio is of nurses to infants in (a) neonatal special care units, (b) neonatal high dependency care units and (c) neonatal intensive care units for each clinical network; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: There are 25 neonatal managed clinical networks. Information on the ratio of nurses to infants within units is not collected centrally. The ratio is not constant, but relative to the criticality of the infants. This varies according to demand both within and between units providing a range of special, high dependency and intensive care. Research suggests that, in practice, the ratio of nurses to infants in special care is between one nurse to three and one nurse to four infants. In high dependency care, the ratio is in the order of one to two. In intensive care the ratio is one to one, and with some more specialised procedures, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, the ratio increases further.

NHS Direct

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to make changes in the status of NHS Direct.

Rosie Winterton: The NHS Direct special health authority is due to change its status as part of the Department's review of its arm's-length bodies.

NHS Prescriptions

Archie Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) NHS prescriptions and (b) NHS prescription items were issued in each of the last 10 years broken down by (i) those attracting a charge and (ii) those receiving an exemption;
	(2)  how many (a) NHS prescriptions and (b) NHS prescription items were issued under an exemption in each of the last 10 years, broken down by reason for exemption.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested about national health service prescriptions and prescription items has been placed in the Library.

NHS Prescriptions

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost per item prescribed was of prescriptions issued by (a) dispensing and (b) non-dispensing general practitioners in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 15 March 2005
	The average net ingredient cost per item of prescriptions issued by dispensing and non-dispensing doctors that were dispensed in the community in England in each year since 1998, is shown in the table.
	
		Average net ingredient cost per item -- £
		
			  Dispensing doctors Non-dispensing doctors 
		
		
			 1998 9.19 9.19 
			 1999 9.91 10.04 
			 2000 9.96 10.18 
			 2001 10.24 10.46 
			 2002 10.76 11.14 
			 2003 11.09 11.60 
		
	
	Note:
	Data for 1997 is unavailable.

Patient Transfers

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to ensure that cardiac patients awaiting transfer from the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother hospital in Margate to London hospitals for surgery are able to travel expeditiously by ambulance.

Rosie Winterton: It is for acute trusts together with primary care trusts to ensure that when patients need to be transferred to another hospital; this is done in a timely and clinically safe manner. The Department recently announced the allocation of £14 million to Kent cardiac services to enable more patients to be treated locally, with fewer patients having to travel to London.

Patients (Learning Disabilities)

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the provision of health services for those with learning disabilities; and when he expects the targets for service improvements for adults with learning disabilities set out in the White Paper, Valuing People", to be achieved.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government's objective is to enable people with learning disabilities to access a health service designed around their individual needs. The Valuing People" (March 2001) White Paper included key actions on health and steps taken to achieve these; including the appointment of expert health advisers by the Valuing People" support team.
	The health of people with learning disabilities should be part of mainstream health plans to ensure that all national health service services are accessible to everyone. The Public Health White Paper will address the issue of health inequalities. We are supporting the Disability Rights Commission's investigation into inequalities in access to health care services for people with learning disabilities and mental health service users. We are also discussing with the National Patient Safety Agency a scoping project into the confidential inquiry into premature deaths of people with learning disabilities. There will be an announcement shortly.
	We are improving access to primary care services through a new performance indicator in 2005–06 to monitor registration of people with learning disabilities by primary care trusts. In addition, the Healthcare Commission is raising the profile of services for people with learning disabilities through the appointment of a learning disability specialist. We are further supporting the health needs of learning disabled people through funding given to the voluntary sector.
	The Valuing People" White Paper did not define targets; instead, it set out various actions and objectives. Many of the actions have been taken and the objectives achieved. Where work is in progress and the associated aims and objectives have not yet been achieved, we are working with the Valuing People" support team to take remedial action to ensure their achievement in the near future.

Practice Closures

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the quality of the consultation undertaken by the local primary care trust concerning the closure of the Finchley Road Surgery in Camden.

Stephen Ladyman: There have been no representations concerning this matter.

Residential Homes (Drugs)

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the percentage of patients in residential homes for the elderly who are receiving neuroleptic drugs; and which homes prescribe neuroleptic to 90 per cent. or more of their residents.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 9 March 2005
	This information is not held centrally.

Scans (Private Sector)

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment was made, before the decision to commission Alliance Medical Ltd. to conduct CT and MRI scans on behalf of the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust of existing capacity of the Trust's own CT and MRI scanners;
	(2)  how many MRI and CT scans have been carried out by Alliance Medical Ltd. on behalf of the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust; and at what cost.

John Hutton: Additional diagnostic capacity was procured from Alliance Medical Ltd. as part of a national procurement exercise to serve all parts of England. Alliance Medical's mobile scanning units travel and visit areas according to their needs, as determined by strategic health authority cluster leads. These units only visit areas with long waiting times, following local negotiation.
	Alliance Medical's units have carried out 389 scans to date in Durham. Cost is assessed on an average per scan over the life of a five year contract and the total value of the contract is a matter of confidentiality, which cannot be disclosed without prejudicing the commercial interests of the company. However, the cost of scans provided by Alliance Medical is significantly less than the national health service direct access tariff. This represents good value for money, in addition to boosting NHS capacity.

Scans (Private Sector)

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the contract between the NHS and Alliance Medical Ltd. for CT and MRI scans was signed; and who undertook negotiations on behalf of the NHS;
	(2)  for how long the NHS contract with Alliance Medical Ltd. will run; and what the total value of the contract is.

John Hutton: The contract between the national health service and Alliance Medical Ltd. was signed on 29 June 2004. The negotiations were undertaken by the Department's national implementation team.
	The contract with Alliance Medical is for five years. The total value of the contract is a matter of commercial confidentiality, and cannot be disclosed without prejudicing the commercial interests of the company. However, the cost of the scans provided by Alliance Medical is significantly less than the national health service direct access tariff. This represents good value for money, in addition to boosting NHS capacity.

Self-harm

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition of self-harm is used by NHS Direct; how many calls NHS Direct received in the last year for which figures are available relating to self-harm; what advice is given by NHS Direct to callers deemed to be self-harming; and whether NHS Direct holds a database of local self-help groups to provide to callers.

Rosie Winterton: NHS Direct classifies as self-harm all calls relating to self-poisoning or injury, irrespective of the purpose of the act.
	NHS Direct is unable to report specifically on the number of call it handles relating to self-harm, as these will categorised under a number of presenting symptoms.
	All staff receive training in the handling of calls relating to self-harm against an agreed set of principles.
	NHS Direct staff answering calls have access to a detailed database of local and national self help groups.

Self-harm

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) training and (b) resources are available to NHS staff dealing with young people with experience of self-harm.

Stephen Ladyman: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence's guideline on self-harm, published in 2004, which includes children and young people, has recommended that national health service trusts should provide appropriate training for staff who come into contact with people who self harm.
	In addition to trust-based training, NHS staff have access to a variety of university-based education and training courses to equip them to work with young people who self harm. The number of resources available for staff working with young people who self harm is increasing. The National Inquiry into Self-Harm and Young People, run jointly by the Camelot Foundation and the Mental Health Foundation, on which the Department is represented, has been recently launched. It aims to educate and raise awareness about self-harm, and provide training and practical guidelines for individuals and organisations who work with young people who self-harm.
	Young Minds, a national charity for children's mental health has also compiled an extensive web-based catalogue of reading material and resources for staff who work with young people who self-harm.

Sikh Employees

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the wearing of the Kirpan by Sikh employees.

Rosie Winterton: The Department values the diversity of all its staff and has a policy to ensure that no member of staff will be discriminated against on the grounds of their faith. Subject to health and safety considerations, Sikh employees of the Department can wear the Kirpan.

Visually Impaired People

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide CCTV readers for visually impaired people through the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The national health service hospital eye service provides optical devices and loans low vision aids, such as high-powered reading lenses, hand-held and stand magnifiers and telescopes, to people with visual impairment. In addition, some primary care trusts have local arrangements for the provision of low vision aids through community-based opticians.
	Electronic magnifiers are classed as aids to daily living and as such providing them is the responsibility of local authority social services departments. Social service departments assess individuals' needs and arrange services to meet those needs. This can include the provision of closed circuit television (CCTV). However, hand-held, stand and spectacle-mounted magnifiers are generally easier to use, more widely available and more accessible.
	In keeping with the principle of flexibility in meeting local needs, NHS hospital trusts, primary care trusts and social service departments are being encouraged to work more closely together, including the possibility of establishing joint budgets for equipment which could allow for the provision of a wider range of services and equipment than has hitherto been available.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Deaf People (Public Service Delivery)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken in the last three years to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing people have equality of access to Government services.

John Spellar: Over the past three years significant work has been initiated or completed to improve communication between staff in Government Departments in Northern Ireland and people who are deaf or have a hearing impairment.
	Examples of steps taken across Departments are as follows:
	The formation of a partnership group whereby Departments, led by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, are working in partnership with representatives of the deaf community to develop ideas for improving access to public services by users of sign language;
	Sign language interpreters are provided at public events;
	The issue of guidance in 2004 from the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service to all Departments to ensure external events are fully accessible to people with disabilities;
	Departments have been delivering training in deaf awareness, sign language and in the use of text phones;
	The Department of Finance and Personnel is implementing a programme to ensure people with disabilities can have physical access and communication access to Government buildings. This includes the installation of Deaf Loop systems (at counter points, reception areas and designated rooms in all buildings with a public interface), Deaf Alerter systems for evacuation purposes, Beacons in toilet areas, Quematic systems in public offices, Signage and Text Phones;
	The Promoting Social Inclusion Working Group on Disability was established in 2004. This comprises members of Government Departments and those representing people with disabilities and is examining how services can be improved to better address the needs and rights of disabled people including those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment. This work includes conducting a major survey of people with disabilities across Northern Ireland during 2005.
	Examples of good practice within Departments are as follows:
	The Social Security Agency (SSA) is working in partnership with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) on a pilot scheme which will identify possible improvements on services for customers with hearing impairments. Furthermore the SSA has given a commitment to work towards the RNID's Louder than Words" Charter Mark of best practice;
	The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency of the Department of the Environment makes extra time available to theory test candidates, if required;
	Trainees with a disability, including those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment, who enter Jobskills, are entitled to additional training time and funding to assist them in achieving their qualifications;
	The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has provided support under the PEACE II programme for a project which will provide training, support and networking for people who are deaf or have a hearing impairment;
	The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise identifies students who are deaf or have a hearing impairment when they enrol. Each student with such a disability is assigned a personal tutor;
	The Department of Education in co-operation with the National Deaf Children's Society has issued two booklets, Deaf Friendly Schools" and Deaf Friendly Nurseries and Pre-schools", which provide a clear and friendly view of the context in which young deaf people's education takes place.
	All of the above are examples of the standards which Government have set and will continue to review and improve by working in partnership with organisations representing people who are deaf or hearing impaired and from disabled people themselves via consultation and the gathering of information.

Locum Doctors

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether locum doctors in Northern Ireland are able to join the Health and Personal Social Services superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The National Health Service (NHS) Pension regulations were amended in England, Wales and Scotland in 2002 and 2003 respectively to permit access to the NHS Pension Schemes in England, Wales and Scotland to freelance locums on a new supplementary list. Those regulations had to be further amended to permit access to GP locums. The regulations in England and Wales are now being amended again to take account of the new medical performers list, which incorporates the supplementary list.
	In Northern Ireland, the prior approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel will be required before the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety can proceed to amend the HPSS Superannuation Regulations to cover both backdated and future scheme membership for freelance and GP locums who are registered on the performers list. This approval is currently being sought.

Railways

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have for the old Comber railway line between Belfast and Comber; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: The Old Comber railway line has been identified as a proposed cycle route in the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan 2015. This cycle route will form part of the National Cycle Network, which has been promoted by Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity as part of approximately 155 miles of cycle route proposed in the County Down area.
	The Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan has also proposed the use of part of the former railway line for a pilot Rapid Transit scheme (known as Eway) on the portion of the line between Holywood Arches and Graham's Bridge Dundonald subject to economic appraisal, budgetary processes and the completion of statutory processes. It is proposed that cycle route facilities are provided in conjunction with the rapid transit scheme.
	DRD Roads Service has already provided lengths of cycle route along stretches of the old Comber railway line between King's Road and Holy wood Arches and has drawn up proposals to extend this route towards Dundonald during 2005–06.

Roads

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have to improve (a) the Portaferry Road between Newtownards and Portaferry over the next two years and (b) traffic management in Newtownards to alleviate traffic congestion at peak times.

John Spellar: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the right hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	Letter from Malcolm McKibbin to Mr. David Trimble, dated 16 March 2005
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question asking what plans the Government has to improve (a) the Portaferry Road between Newtownards and Portaferry over the next two years and (b) traffic management in Newtownards to alleviate traffic congestion at peak times (222123). I have been asked to reply as the issue raised falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
	I am pleased to be able to advise you that we are planning an improvement scheme during the 2005/6 financial year, costing approximately £30,000 along the A20 Portaferry to Newtownards road at the Rowreagh Road/Gransha Road junction, subject to agreement on land acquisition. We are also starting work shortly on the reconstruction of Main Street, Kircubbin, from the junction with Blackhall Street to the junction with Roden Street, at an estimated cost of £300,000. Unfortunately, a scheme to resurface approximately one kilometre of the stretch of Rowreagh Road south of Loughdoo Road to Abbacy Road at a cost of approximately £120,000 has been postponed due to an impending major works scheme by Water Service.
	With regard to traffic management schemes planned for Newtownards, you will be aware a number of road improvement schemes have been identified in the Draft Ards/Down Area Plan. I understand the Public Inquiry for the Plan is due to commence in early May. The schemes identified in the Area Plan include the:
	Bowtown Road link—from Portaferry Road to Bowtown Road;
	Southern Relief Road—from Portaferry Road to Scrabo Road via the Comber Road;
	Frederick Street Link—from Nursery Road to Frederick Street Roundabout; and
	Talbot Street/North Road upgrade—improvements to junction layout.
	In addition, the construction of the Bowtown Road link extension to the Donaghadee Road via the Movilla Road, to the east of Newtownards, has been identified to be undertaken with the proposed development to the east of the town. All of these schemes will contribute significantly to the improvement of traffic movements in the town of Newtownards, although no definite timescale can be given for the delivery of most of these schemes at this time.
	It is likely that the proposed Southern Relief Road, which will greatly benefit traffic movement in the area, may well be provided over the next two years. Planning permission has already been granted for a section of this road and work is currently ongoing to progress the Direction Order on the remainder of the scheme.
	The Zion Place roundabouts on the Bangor Road have also been identified within the Draft Ards/Down Area Plan as requiring improvements and modelling work is ongoing for this junction. As the provision of the Southern Relief Road will alter the traffic movements at the New Road/Portaferry Road junction, this site is also being examined. Unfortunately, it is not possible at this time to be precise on when these junctions may be improved as any proposed schemes will be dependant on the findings of the Area Plan Public Inquiry.
	I hope this information is helpful.

Ulster Hospital

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to reduce waiting lists for surgery at the Ulster Hospital.

John Spellar: The Ulster Community and Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust is treating more than 95 per cent. of inpatients and daycases within 12 months of being placed on the waiting list.
	Data provided by the Trust for 7 March 2005 indicate that there are 126 patients waiting more than 18 months for inpatient or daycase treatment at the Trust, a reduction of 66 per cent. compared to the position in April 2004. Plans are in place to treat as many of these patients as possible by the end of March 2005 and those patients remaining will be provided with a treatment plan containing an anticipated date for treatment.
	The Trust has a comprehensive waiting list management plan in place and is working towards additional service improvements that will ultimately improve the timeliness, effectiveness and appropriateness of services provided to patients.

Ulster Hospital

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to reduce waiting times for category three patients at the accident and emergency unit at the Ulster hospital.

John Spellar: The Ulster Community and Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust is taking a number of steps to improve the clinical environment in accident and emergency and to shorten waiting times for patients at the Ulster hospital. These steps include:
	The appointment of additional nursing staff;
	An extension to the existing accident and emergency department;
	The refurbishment of the reception and waiting areas; and
	The introduction of a new rapid assessment and treatment unit, which will include the provision of additional cubicle space.
	At a regional level the Department is taking forward a comprehensive Emergency Pressures Programme, requiring the Ulster Community and Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust and other Trusts to implement a number of compulsory actions and good practice measures to improve the flow of emergency admissions and reduce trolley waits.

Unsolved Killings

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what he expects the likely outcome of the review of the unsolved killings to be in respect of the prosecution of individuals found to have been responsible for murder since 1969.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced, on 8 March, the provision of additional funding to enable the Chief Constable to expand the work of the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) in a way that will command the confidence of relatives and the wider community.
	The objective of the new unit will be to try and achieve closure where concerns remain from families and to allow the PSNI as an organisation to close inquiries with confidence in the integrity of the investigative process and satisfied that no further investigative opportunities exist.
	Where evidential opportunities exist these cases will be reinvestigated with the possibility of evidence being provided to the DPP. Of course, those convicted may be eligible to apply to the Independent Sentence Review Commissioners for early release under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998.
	Where a judicial outcome is not possible, the unit will consider ways through which as much information as possible might be made available to the relatives of victims, if that is what they want.

CABINET OFFICE

Cameras

Julian Lewis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what his policy is on permitting staff to take cameras into (a) 10 Downing street and (b) the Cabinet Office;
	(2)  what his policy is on permitting staff to take mobile telephones which have built-in camera facilities into (a) 10 Downing street and (b) the Cabinet Office;
	(3)  how many instances there have been of (a) Downing street and (b) Cabinet Office staff being refused permission to bring (i) cameras and (ii) camera-enabled mobile phones into their respective workplaces, in each of the last three years.

David Miliband: Staff from both the Cabinet Office and 10 Downing street (Prime Minister's Office) may bring a camera and/or camera phone into the estate but may only use them to take photographs with prior permission from the relevant security section. All staff are aware of, and regularly reminded of, departmental security policy which is rigorously enforced. As staff are allowed to bring cameras and/or camera phones into the estate, but are not allowed to use them within the premises, we do not maintain any records of staff being refused permission to bring them into their respective workplaces.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Alderman Knight School

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects the schools adjudicator to announce his decision on the future of Alderman Knight school, Tewkesbury; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Schools adjudicators are independent of the Department. The timing of an announcement of an adjudicator's decision is a matter for the Office of the Schools Adjudicator.

Bullying

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will develop a strategy of zero tolerance of violence and intimidation directed at young people.

Derek Twigg: The Government already has a zero tolerance" approach to violence in schools and takes this issue very seriously. We have made it clear that head teachers may permanently exclude pupils for violence even where this is a first offence. We are working to create a climate in which all violence is recognised as intolerable. To achieve that, we:
	are giving every secondary school access to high-quality behaviour management training materials and expert advice from behaviour management consultants;
	are providing extra support for schools facing the greatest challenges through our Behaviour Improvement Programme;
	have provided £120 million for school security improvements since 1997;
	have based over 300 police officers in schools;
	are developing specific violence prevention materials through our Violence Reduction in Schools project; and
	are consulting on new proposals on keeping knives out of schools, including searching suspect pupils.
	These measures will enable schools to tackle the problems that may lead to an escalation to violence and they will make schools even safer for children and staff.
	In the main schools are very safe places. Instances of violence are far less frequent than on the streets and in the home. Staff and pupils report fewer concerns about violence than in other European countries.

Diploma in Medicine

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many students have enrolled for higher education courses in England leading to a diploma in medicine in (a) September and (b) February in each academic year since September 1998; and how many of each semester's cohort (i) started the second year of studies, (ii) started the third year of studies, (iii) qualified and (iv) registered;
	(2)  how many students have enrolled for courses leading to a diploma in nursing at (a) Luton university and (b) the university of Hertfordshire in each semester since September 1998; and how many from each semester's intake (i) started the second year, (ii) started the third year, (iii) qualified and (iv) registered.

Kim Howells: This information is not held centrally. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) publish completion rates of students on full-time undergraduate courses in Performance Indicators in Higher Education", but these are not calculated for individual subjects, or courses.

Education Funding

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what advice she has received from the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) on research conducted for the LSC by the Learning and Skills Development Agency on the size of the funding gap between sixth forms and further education colleges.

Kim Howells: None. The report has not been published yet, and we have yet to consider the analysis or the report's conclusions.

Education Funding

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects further to reduce the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges in South West Bedfordshire.

Kim Howells: Government recognise that there are differences in the funding allocated to school sixth forms and further education colleges and have taken action to address this. We have brought up funding levels for further education colleges as we said we would without penalising schools. Our policy has been to continue to bring up the level of funding for colleges, as and when we are able to secure the resources to do so.

Education Funding

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been provided in the 2004–05 financial year to (a) school sixth forms and (b) further education colleges to assist them in covering teachers' pension costs.

Kim Howells: The Department does not separately allocate funds to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for school sixth form and further education college pension costs. We expect schools and colleges to meet staffing costs from funds they receive from the LSC and other sources. The LSC funding includes provision for changes to the Teachers Pensions Scheme in 2003.

Education Funding

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding is withdrawn from (a) school sixth forms and (b) further education colleges when a student leaves a level 3 course mid-term; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for funding school sixth forms and further education providers. As matters concerning the funding impact of retention relate to the LSC's operational responsibilities, Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member providing the information requested. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Education Funding

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much an average school sixth form received as part of the real-terms annual funding guarantee in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05; and what the allocation will be in 2005–06.

Kim Howells: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for funding school sixth forms including the operation of our guarantee that, provided pupil numbers are maintained, no school will lose out in real terms as a result of the transfer of funding responsibility to the LSC. As matters concerning the operation of the real terms guarantee relate to the LSC's operational responsibilities, Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member providing the information requested. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Education Funding

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 279W, on further education, to the hon. Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Dr. Vis), what proportion of the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges is due to (a) base funding rates, (b) the annual real-terms funding guarantee, (c) differing funding of institutions when students drop-out, (d) the funding of teachers' pensions, (e) the differential in standards funds, (f) VAT which is able to be reclaimed and (g) costs of maintaining buildings and funding capital projects.

Kim Howells: As stated in the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 279W, on further education (FE), to the hon. Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Dr. Vis), the main measure the Department has used to identify the funding gap is the difference in Learning and Skills Council national base funding rates for an AS/A2 qualification at 2002/03, and the comparative increases since.
	I recognise that there is more to overall levels of funding than differences in funding rates and I acknowledge that there are other important differences between school and FE funding. This is a complex area and there is currently no reliable like-for-like comparison between schools and colleges. As part of its agenda for change the LSC is currently reviewing the funding systems and will be consulting later in the year.

Education Funding

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much schools in Tamworth have received under the new deal for schools.

Stephen Twigg: Staffordshire LEA was granted the following amounts under the four phases of NDS: NDS1 1997–98: £1.387 million; NDS2 1998–99 £3.975 million; NDS3 1999–2000 £5.541 million; and NDS4 2000–2001 £10.225 million. No figures are held centrally for Tamworth schools for NDS1. Tamworth schools were allocated £252, 846 for NDS2; £2,231,229 for NDS3; and £5,327,046 for NDS4. This information was recorded centrally and local authorities' allocation of resources may differ from this.

E-university

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills why the UK e-university project was abolished; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We did not abolish the project. A private company, UK eUniversities Worldwide (UKeU), was formed to take forward the UK e-University project. It was intended that this should secure equal funding from public and private sector investment. In autumn 2003 the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) commissioned an independent review of the UKeU plans. In the light of changes in the global financial market, the fact that student recruitment had not met planned targets in the first year, and the lack of any immediate prospect of matching private investment, the Board of the HEFCE concluded that the opportunity cost of providing further funds was too high. HEFCE then sought discussions with UKeU on a restructuring of the company's activities. On hearing of HEFCE's decision, the UKeU board resigned. The HEFCE Board then decided that future HEFCE funding should be used to support the development of e-learning in universities and colleges themselves, placing emphasis on public good objectives.

E-university

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the UK e-university project; and what plans she has to establish similar distance learning schemes.

Kim Howells: We are reflecting on the findings of the Education and Skills Select Committee Report on the UK e-University and consulting with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) which has separately been considering the lessons to be learnt. We will issue a formal response to the Education and Skills Committee in due course. It is intended that future HEFCE funding should support the development of e-learning in universities and colleges.

E-university

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research was undertaken before implementation of the UK e-university project; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Higher Education Funding Council for England commissioned a substantial body of research, covering commercial, HE and pedagogic aspects of the project. I understand that the research is being disseminated to the higher education sector via the Higher Education Academy to inform future eLearning. The first volume of the e-University Compendium is available at www.heacademy.ac.uk/e-University.htm.

E-university

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which Minister was responsible for the UK e-university project.

Kim Howells: The e-Universities project was announced by the former Secretary of State for Education and Employment, Mr. Blunkett, in February 2000. The Higher Education Funding Council for England was responsible for taking forward the project and subsequent Secretaries of State and Ministers for Higher Education in this Department were kept informed of progress. Responsibility for the running of the private company, UK eUniversities Worldwide (UKeU), rested with its Board.

Harrop Fold School

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether her Department has investigated (a) the financial position of Harrop Fold School, (b) the progress of the school since it was placed in special measures and (c) the staff retention rate at the school.

Stephen Twigg: My Department has not undertaken any investigation into the financial position of Harrop Fold School. As this school is subject to special measures it receives regular visits from Ofsted to monitor its progress. The reports of the most recent monitoring visits indicate that the school has made reasonable progress since September 2004. The staff retention rate is now very good and next term the school will be fully staffed with no vacancies or supply teachers.

Harrop Fold School

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the future of the Harrop Fold School, Worsley, with particular reference to (a) its financial position and (b) any replacement school.

Stephen Twigg: Harrop Fold School is currently subject to special measures. Ofsted's report on its last monitoring visit to the school in January 2005 noted that it had made reasonable progress since the last such visit in October 2004. The school has a budget deficit which is being taken into account in the work of the School Improvement Partnership Board that has been established to oversee its recovery. We are not aware of any plans to replace the school, which would be a matter for the local authority in the first instance.

Harrop Fold School

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received from (a) parents and (b) Salford metropolitan borough council about Harrop Fold School, Worsley.

Stephen Twigg: DfES Ministers have received four representations from the Harrop Fold Action Group since the school was placed in special measures. There have been no formal representations from Salford metropolitan district council, although the Council has been in regular correspondence about the school with DfES officials since May 2003 when the school was placed in special measures.

Harrop Fold School

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who the members are of the School Improvement Partnership Board put in place to monitor progress at Harrop Fold school, Worsley; how often it has met; and to whom it is accountable.

Stephen Twigg: The membership of the School Improvement Partnership Board (SIPB) set up to manage, challenge and support recovery programmes for Harrop Fold school includes a former headteacher as chair; the executive head teacher of Harrop Fold; the chair of the governing body of Harrop Fold; the chief education officer for Salford; the deputy chief education officer for Salford; a senior education adviser and one official from the Department for Education and Skills. The SIPB has met four times since 31 August 2004. The SIPB is accountable to my Department for the substantial funding we have provided to support its work to improve the school.

Individual Learning Accounts

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the current status is of Individual Learning Accounts; and when they will be re-introduced into England.

Ivan Lewis: The Individual Learning Account scheme was closed on 23 November 2001 after serious allegations of fraud.
	The Department is continuing investigations into learning providers that may have abused the Individual Learning Account scheme and is supporting the police in pursuing criminal proceedings against a number of learning providers. To date the police have been successful in cases involving 11 ILA learning providers, which have resulted in 11 individuals being convicted with a variety of prison and suspended sentences, community service and fines being imposed.
	Ministers decided, after careful examination of the lessons we must learn, not to introduce another stand alone Individual Learning Account scheme. Instead, we have integrated those ILA elements that proved successful within the broader skills strategy described in the White Paper, 21st Century Skills, Realising Our Potential" (Cmnd 5810), published in July 2003.

Office for Fair Access

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the milestones for admissions submitted to the Office for Fair Access by individual universities are.

Kim Howells: Details of all university access agreements that have been approved by the Office for Fair Access, including milestones, will be publicly available on the OFFA website (http://www.offa.org.uk) from Thursday 17 March.

Primary School Class Sizes (Ribble Valley)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in primary schools in the Ribble Valley were in classes of 31 or more in each year since 1996–97.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Maintained primary schools(26): Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils taught by one teacher(27)—Ribble Valley parliamentary constituency
		
			  Maintained primary schools 
			   Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more 
			 Position in January each yea r 1997 to 2004 Total pupils in all classes Number of pupils Percentage of pupils3 
		
		
			 1997 7,565 4,168 55.1 
			 1998 7,776 4,563 58.7 
			 1999 7,612 3,644 47.9 
			 2000 7,781 3,390 43.6 
			 2001 7,508 3,116 41.5 
			 2002 7,768 2,805 36.1 
			 2003 7,965 2,731 34.3 
			 2004 8,138 2,551 31.3 
		
	
	(26) Includes middle schools as deemed.
	(27) A sample of classes being taught at a particular point in the school timetable on the day of the Census in January.
	(28) Percentage of pupils in those classes expressed as a percentage of pupils in all classes taught by one teacher.
	Source:
	Annual Schools' Census

Professor Sir Roy Meadow

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what work remunerated from public funds has been undertaken by Professor Sir Roy Meadow in the last two years.

Margaret Hodge: Professor Meadow has undertaken no work during the past two years on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills. My Department does not have information on whether he has undertaken any other work remunerated from public funds.

School Leavers (Ribble Valley)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils in Ribble Valley left school with no qualifications in 2004.

Stephen Twigg: The proportion of 15 year-old pupils 1 that failed to achieve a GCSE or equivalent qualification in the parliamentary constituency of Ribble Valley in 2003–04 was 3.1 per cent.
	1 GCSE and equivalent results are reported as standard as the results of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year (i.e. 31 August 2003) and therefore reaching the end of compulsory education at the end of the school year.

Schools (Internet Security)

Richard Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she has taken to ensure that schools implement security measures in respect of their use of the internet.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills and with Becta (The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency) are committed to ensuring that schools have advice and information on internet safety, to help teachers make informed decisions about the technological and practical steps that they can take to keep their students safe.
	The Superhighway Safety website includes advice on all aspects of internet safety covering a number of key areas of concern such as e-mails for students, filtering systems, school websites and chat rooms. The guidance pack is online at http://safety.ngfl.gov.uk. Schools are advised to have an acceptable use policy signed by students and their parents, guardians or carers detailing the ways the internet can or cannot be used.

Self-harm

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) training and (b) resources are available to educational professionals dealing with young people with experience of self-harm; and what definition of self-harm the Department uses.

Stephen Twigg: The school workforce can draw upon a range of training support in dealing with self-harm. The resources available centrally include the Department's 2001 guide Promoting Children's Mental Health in Early Years and School Settings" which gives advice on how self-harm can be managed; and Promoting emotional health and well-being through the National Healthy School Standard", jointly produced by the Departments of Health and Education and Skills, offers guidance and training modules on whole school approaches to supporting emotional well-being more generally. Every local education authority in England works in partnership with primary care trusts to manage and deliver a local healthy schools programme, supported by a local co-ordinator and education and health team.
	Further guidelines for education professionals will be available later this year when a national inquiry into self-harm reports. The Department uses the Inquiry's description of self-harm as encompassing
	"a wide range of things that people do to themselves, in a deliberate and usually hidden way, which are damaging."

SOAs (Dartford)

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she (a) has taken and (b) is proposing to take to assist the lower level super output areas (SOAs) in Dartford that fall within the most deprived 20 per cent. of lower level SOAs in England and Wales in terms of educational qualifications and access to education, skills and training.

Ivan Lewis: Government policy is not currently targeted at a super output area level, but there is an abundance of activity in the Dartford area to address the issues arising from the relatively high levels of deprivation, some directly funded through DfES funding, some through a multi-agency approach.
	To give some indication of the levels of activity in the Dartford area there is:
	a creative writing initiative to engage the pupils;
	a major literacy project in Swanscombe (using a variety of budgets);
	additional support is made available for providing support for behavioural management in 10 primary schools and the two secondary schools;
	three of the primary schools are being remodelled (physical infrastructure) to provide a high quality environment that will enhance the extended school activities by incorporating health, community and social services provision;
	vocational centres to enhance the work related learning curriculum developed in schools through funding to address the growth agenda in the area;
	funding gained to provide additional support in schools to improve the home:school links and engage better with the local communities;
	a children's centre based in Swanscombe.
	all schools in the area are addressing the Healthy Schools Standard.
	In addition, Kent county council have developed school 'cluster' arrangements to help develop collaborative approaches.

Special Educational Needs

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers are trained to provide physical education for pupils with special educational needs.

Stephen Twigg: The information is not collected centrally.

Students

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students attended (a) Russell Group universities and (b) other universities in each of the last three years, broken down by (i) socio-economic class and (ii) ethnic group.

Kim Howells: The latest available information on socio-economic group was published in September by the Higher Education Statistics Agency and is given in the first table. The latest information on ethnicity is shown in the second table.
	
		Young full-time first degree entrants to UK HE institutions
		
			   Of which, percentage(29) from 
			  Young entrants(number) Social classes IIIM-V(30) Socio-economic classes 4–7(30) 
		
		
			 Russell group
			 2000–01 54,135 16 — 
			 2001–02 56,885 16 — 
			 2002–03 60,695 — 19 
			 
			 Other HE institutions
			 2000–01 167,285 28 — 
			 2001–02 172,860 29 — 
			 2002–03 178,485 — 32 
		
	
	(29) Based on those students who provided details of their social background.
	(30) A new socio-economic classification was introduced in 200203, which replaced social class. The two classifications are not directly comparable. Social classes IIIM-V cover students from skilled manual, semi-skilled and unskilled backgrounds; socio-economic classes 4–7 covers those from small employers and own account workers, lower supervisory and technical occupations, semi-routine occupations, and routine occupations.
	Source:
	"Performance Indicators in Higher Education" published by HEFCE/HESA
	
		All undergraduates in UK HE institutions
		
			   Of which, percentage(31) who were 
			  Total students White Black Asian Mixed Other 
		
		
			 Russell Group   
			 2001–02 259,130 88.2 1.6 8.2 0.7 1.3 
			 2002–03 265,540 87.2 1.8 8.7 1.3 1.1 
			 2003–04 271,530 86.5 1.9 8.9 1.8 0.8 
			
			 Other HE institutions   
			 2001–02 1,143,82 0 85.2 4.5 8.4 0.6 1.3 
			 2002–03 1,196,89 0 84.8 4.7 8.4 1.1 1.0 
			 2003–04 1,252,21 0 84.6 4.9 8.2 1.4 0.9 
		
	
	(31) Based on those students who provided details of their ethnicity.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Numbers have been rounded to the nearest five.

Swimming

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assistance is available to pupils from low-income families for swimming lessons;
	(2)  what initiatives her Department has undertaken since 2001 to promote swimming among school pupils;
	(3)  what the status of swimming is within the national curriculum.

Derek Twigg: Swimming and water safety is a compulsory part of the PE national curriculum at Key Stage 2. During key stages 3 and 4, schools must offer pupils two programmes of study from: swimming and water safety; athletics and; outdoor and adventurous activities.
	Swimming also has a significant role to play within our national strategy for PE, School Sport and Club Links. Since 2001 we have:
	created a new swimming and water safety website (www.nc.uk.net/safeswimming) which provides practical support for schools and swimming teachers;
	published, in December 2003, a swimming charter, which sets out guidelines, shares best practice and provides practical support to help schools overcome many of the challenges they face when planning and delivering swimming; and
	carried out a pilot programme which tested out how best to support those children who reach the end of Key Stage 2 and are not able to swim 25 metres.
	We intend to implement this programme nationally from April 2006 and over £5 million of funding has been allocated to support the scheme in 2006–07 and 2007–08. We will be consulting shortly on what the detail of this programme might look like.
	Furthermore, as part of its wider provision, the PE and school sport national professional development programme will help to improve the quality of swimming teaching throughout England. The programme will identify where there is most need and provide specific professional development and support to help ensure high quality swimming tuition in schools. Every school will be able to access this programme free of charge from April 2005.
	As it is a statutory part of the national curriculum, no charge to parents can be made for the cost of providing swimming lessons, or for the cost of transport to carry pupils to and from the lesson. Schools can ask for voluntary contributions to cover the cost of swimming activities, but when requesting the contribution it must make it clear that no child will be treated differently, or left out of the activity, because their parent is unable or unwilling to make the contribution.

Teachers

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many full-time equivalent regular teachers there were in maintained schools in September 2004.

Stephen Twigg: Information on the numbers of teachers in service is collected in January of each year.
	Provisional teacher numbers for January 2005 will be published in April 2005.
	Figures for January 2004 were published in table 15 of the Statistics of Education, School Workforce in England, 2004 edition a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library. Alternatively this publication is available at the following URL:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DBA/OL/v000554/index.shtml

Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost of employing a newly qualified teacher for their first year of work, including salary and pension contributions, is in the current financial year.

Stephen Twigg: Currently there are four regional pay scales, inner London, outer London, fringe area and England and Wales (excluding the London area). Each of these pay scales has a different starting salary.
	For the current financial year (April 4 to March 5 ), the starting salary of a newly qualified teacher in Inner London is £22,059. The corresponding on costs (national insurance and pension contributions) are 20.7 per cent. bringing the total cost to £26,625.
	In outer London the starting salary is £20,862 and the incorporated on costs (national insurance and pension contributions) is 20.6 per cent. bringing the total cost to £25,155.
	The starting salary for the fringe area is £19,449. The on costs (national insurance and pension contributions) are estimated to 20.4 per cent. bringing the total cost to £23,420.
	For England and Wales (excluding the London area), a newly qualified teacher's salary is £18,558. The corresponding national insurance and pension contributions are estimated at 20.3 per cent. of bringing the total cost to £22,326.
	These figures are for the first point of main pay spine for qualified classroom teachers and do not include allowances.
	This information is based on data from the school teachers' pay and conditions document 2004 and on the 2004–05 Inland Revenue national insurance rates and thresholds.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

China

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations have been made to the Government of China on human rights abuses in Kheetan Province; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: There was a discussion on Xinjiang at the most recent round of the EU/China human rights dialogue held in Luxembourg in February 2005.
	The UK delegation visited Xinjiang in November 2003 as part of our biannual UK China human rights dialogue. There was a follow-up discussion on Xinjiang at the next round of the dialogue held in London on 13–14 May 2004.
	We put forward a number of concerns about Xinjiang in connection with the most recent round of the dialogue, held in Beijing on 22 November 2004.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised human rights during his trip to China in January 2005. I discussed human rights issues with Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui during my trip to China in October 2004.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 25 January from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding Darfur, reference: 1 85889/05.

Denis MacShane: My hon. Friend the Minister for Africa (Chris Mullin) replied directly to Waging Peace" on 9 March and copied this reply to the hon. Member.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 3 February from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding Miss S. Watson of Abu Dhabi.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. and noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean replied to the hon. Member on 10 March.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter of 26 January 2005 from the hon. Member for Walsall, North regarding a constituent, reference 97610.

Douglas Alexander: UKvisas are continuing with their inquiries with our high commission in Kingston and hope to be able to offer a substantive reply to my hon. Friend shortly.

Cyprus

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial assistance has been given by (a) the Government and (b) the EU to the Northern Cyprus Administration in each of the last three years; and for what projects.

Denis MacShane: The British Government have given no financial assistance to the Turkish Cypriot Administration.
	Our high commission has funded a number of projects in north Cyprus all designed to help bring Turkish Cypriots closer to the EU, to encourage re-unification of the island and to make a future settlement less costly and easier to implement.
	Most EU assistance still awaits agreement on the relevant regulation—details of projects undertaken in the interim may be obtained from the European Commission.

Cyprus

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of (a) Turkish Cypriots and (b) Turkish settlers living in northern Cyprus who work in the Republic of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: We have made no such estimate, although our understanding is that no mainland Turkish workers are permitted to work in the south. The issue of workers remains an important issue for clarification by the parties in the context of a comprehensive settlement.

Cyprus

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a Minister from his Department has visited the closed area of Famagusta; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: I visited Famagusta in October 2004 and saw the sad state of Varosha which has not been inhabited since 1974.
	The closed area of Famagusta has not been part of recent visits to Cyprus by Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers, although our high commissioner has visited, under the auspices of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

Cyprus

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the areas of northern Cyprus that (a) the British high commissioner to Cyprus and (b) senior officials at the high commission have visited in the last 12 months.

Denis MacShane: It is not possible to list all the areas visited. Our high commissioner and his staff routinely visit northern Cyprus, in order to monitor and influence Turkish Cypriot opinion and to discharge consular and other duties wherever required.

Cyprus

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed with the Turkish-Cypriot Administration in northern Cyprus its policy on bringing the closed area of Famagusta into use.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed this issue with the Turkish-Cypriot Administration. However, our officials regularly discuss all aspects of the situation in Cyprus with Turkish Cypriot representatives.
	We have also encouraged dialogue on these issues between the Turkish Cypriot leadership and the European Commission.

Egypt

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the Egyptian President's request to Parliament to amend article 76 of the Egyptian constitution to allow multiple candidates in September's Presidential polls; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The UK has always supported Egyptian efforts on reform. We welcome President Mubarak's proposal on 28 February for a change to the Egyptian constitution, with the stated aim of enabling direct election of the President from among multiple candidates. This is the first step towards Egypt taking its place among the leading reforming countries in the region.

EU Presidency

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what programme points, other than the summit with European Union foreign ministers in Newport in September, have been confirmed for the UK's EU presidency agenda.

Denis MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the copy of the provisional programme for the UK's presidency of the European Union, which has been placed in the Library of the House.

European Constitution

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government plan to issue further guidance on the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe which provides analysis and comparison of the existing treaties and the new treaty, as referred to by the Prime Minister on 4 May 2004, Official Report, column 1456W.

Denis MacShane: A Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) commentary analysing the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe compared with the existing EU treaties was laid before the House on 26 January and published as Command Paper 6459 on 7 February. It can be accessed free of charge at www.europe.gov.uk. Hard copies are available in central libraries and to members of the public on request from the FCO.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money was allocated to Gibraltar from the UK Exchequer in 2004–05.

Denis MacShane: The costs of the Convent (the Governor's Office) in the financial year 2004–05 are £1.268 million (£1.187 million running costs and £81,000 capital expenditure). Core Ministry of Defence costs are £78.491 million (£64.698 million operating costs and £13.793 million capital expenditure). The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is also responsible for the Gibraltar Project Fund which has an allocation of £400,000 in financial year 2004–05.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on expanding trade relations with Gibraltar.

Denis MacShane: The Government are committed to helping Gibraltar maintain its prosperity through open access to markets in goods and services.

Israel

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2005, Official Report, column 1578W, on Israel, whether he has made representations to the Israeli authorities about the Citizenship and Entrance to Israel law since it was extended on 31 January.

Bill Rammell: Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised the matter with Israeli Interior Minister Paz-Pines on 7 March. Mr. Paz-Pines said the Israeli government would conduct a further review of the temporary order on 31 May. He expected to see modifications to the law which would allow Palestinians above a certain age to be reunited with their families in Israel. The law would expire at the end of 2005, by which time an entirely new immigration law would need to be introduced.

Kyrgyzstan

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the legitimacy of the first round of parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: As I said in a press statement on 4 March 2005, I am encouraged to see that the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan on 27 February were more competitive than previous elections, and that voting and the count on the day were a considerable improvement. But a number of significant shortcomings, particularly before election day, meant the elections still did not fully match up to international standards. A copy of the statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: www.fco.gov.uk/news/press-releases.
	The UK, like its EU partners, believes that freedom of expression is fundamental to the democratic process. The pressure exerted on the independent media and the late deregistration of some candidates, for example, restricted this freedom for the voters of Kyrgyzstan.
	Looking to the second round of parliamentary elections on 13 March 2005 and the presidential elections later this year, I urged the Kyrgyz authorities in my statement of 4 March to take these issues into account and seize the opportunity to set a strong example for the rest of Central Asia.

Moldova

Michael Trend: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the presidential elections in Moldova; and whether he has assessed this as a free and fair campaign and vote.

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the declaration on the parliamentary elections in Moldova issued by the EU on 8 March. We are encouraged that the elections were judged by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to have generally met international standards for democratic elections. But we urge the Government of Moldova to address without delay the shortcomings identified by the OSCE, in particular problems concerning campaign conditions and the restricted media environment.
	The full text of the EU declaration is available on the presidency's website at www.eu2005.lu.

Nuclear Disarmament

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the governments of (a) Iran and (b) North Korea on nuclear disarmament; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with his Iranian counterpart. Discussion of Iran's nuclear programme forms a key part of these exchanges. He also has frequent discussions with his French, German and US colleagues concerning Iran's nuclear programme. The issue is regularly on the agenda for discussion with a wide range of Ministers from other states.
	Discussion of Iran's nuclear programme at senior official level continue on a regular basis.
	There has been no direct ministerial contact with the Government of North Korea since the visit of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Rammell) in December 2004. The Government are, however, following closely developments in North Korea, and is in regular contact with other interested Governments. We urge the Government of North Korea to resume its engagement in the six-party talks process, which aims to resolve international concerns about the status of North Korea's nuclear programmes.

Peter Dun

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the case of Mr. Peter Dun.

Denis MacShane: We are not able to comment because we owe a duty of confidentiality to serving and former members of staff.

Student Visas

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many rejected overseas student visa applications were (a) overturned and (b) upheld on appeal in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have figures detailing the number of successful appeals that were made against decisions to refuse entry clearance.

UK Embassies

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost of employing a commercial officer in each UK embassy in (a) the EU and (b) North America.

Denis MacShane: holding answer 15 March 2005
	The decision on which grades to employ at a post on commercial work and therefore the cost to be incurred is determined by the resources needed to meet UK Trade and Investment's (UKTI) trade development and inward investment objective. A commercial officer is not an Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) grade but a job description that can be applied to any of the UK based civil servants or locally engaged staff making up some 1,600 full-time staff equivalents across a wide range of grades and salary bands working on UKTI's objective at FCO posts overseas.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Magistrates Courts

Paul Tyler: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what criteria are used to calculate the cost-effectiveness of magistrates courts.

Christopher Leslie: Hitherto magistrates courts have been managed through 42 Magistrates Courts Committees (MCCs). The overall performance of MCCs is monitored through a range of financial and performance measures. The cost efficiency of the MCCs is measured through the Cost per Unit of weighted Caseload". This measure is calculated by comparing total expenditure for each MCC with the total number of completed proceedings, the latter being weighted according a common set of assumptions of the relative complexity for 14 case types.

Royal Marriage

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether it is intended to amend section 6 of the Civil List Act 1952 consequent upon the decision to raise Mrs. Camilla Parker Bowles to the title of HRH the Duchess of Cornwall on her marriage to HRH the Prince of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: No.

Royal Marriage

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs where and how it is proposed to convene a meeting of the Privy Council in compliance with the provisions of the Royal Marriages Act 1972; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The Privy Council met on 2 March 2005 to give effect to Her Majesty's consent to the marriage of HRH the Prince of Wales and Mrs. Parker Bowles in compliance with the provisions of the Royal Marriages Act 1772.

Royal Marriage

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the proposed marriage of HRH Prince of Wales to Mrs. Camilla Parker Bowles is morganatic.

Christopher Leslie: No.

Royal Marriage

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will publish as a Command Paper documents held in the Public Record Office and other public archives relating to Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin's advice and reasons for refusing Edward VIII's request for a morganatic marriage.

Christopher Leslie: No.

Training Programmes

Paul Tyler: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent per magistrate on basic training in each of the last five years; how much was spent in each of those years on providing training materials; and what advice is available to the Judicial Studies Board on learning styles in the context of training programmes.

Christopher Leslie: Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board, an independent body chaired by Lord Justice Keene. Training for magistrates is paid for and delivered at local level in 42 administrative areas. The budget for magistrates training is not ring-fenced and currently cannot be isolated from the overall grant allocation made by the Department for Constitutional Affairs to the Magistrates Courts Service.
	Most magistrate trainers have attended professional training courses for trainers sponsored by the DCA and will be familiar with the theory of learning styles. To support them the JSB employs professionally qualified trainers who advise on learning styles and methods of delivery of the training and associated materials. JSB magistrates training materials, including reference to learning styles, are accessible on the JSB website and include the Magistrates National Training Initiative (MNTI 2) where advice and guidance on basic training for Magistrates can be found.